The future of design
Identity|July/August 2020
Does the cancellation of design fairs due to COVID-19 present a chance to rethink old habits?
Aidan Imanova
The future of design

Recent months has seen a mass cancellation of international design fairs and events, with many finding their normally brimming spring calendars unusually empty. While the COVID-19 pandemic surges on in most parts of the world, some are beginning to slowly lift restrictions, while attempting to recover from a huge hit on the world economy.

Similar struggles can be observed across the design industry where international design fairs such as Salone del Mobile.Milano play a major role in connecting the larger design ecosystem – an opportunity that was lost this year due to the event's cancellation in light of the pandemic.

“By suspending the 2020 edition of Salone, we've missed a very important occasion not only as a business opportunity but also as a moment for coming together and meeting with businesses, designers, collectors and design connoisseurs,” says Salone del Mobile president Claudio Luti, who is also CEO of the contemporary Italian furniture brand, Kartell.

Rue Kothari, director of Dubai-based fair Downtown Design adds that although design fairs remain largely traditional in their format, they have always played a key role in the industry’s ecosystem as platforms to build relationships, collaborate and discover new ideas, while personally interacting with the design on show.

“Aside from leaving our schedules looking decidedly blank, this situation has had a significant impact on brands who often plan their selling cycles around these exhibitions, she says. Many would have invested heavily on the innovation and development of new products and materials, specifically to launch at international platforms like Salone del Mobile.

この記事は Identity の July/August 2020 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Identity の July/August 2020 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

IDENTITYのその他の記事すべて表示
Breaking the mould
Identity

Breaking the mould

A collision of forces has given birth to a new project called The Great Design Disaster. Led by a passionate duo – interior architect Gregory Gatserelia and design enthusiast Joy Herro – its aim is nothing short of shaking up the traditional boundaries of the contemporary design market. identity catches up with Herro to learn more.

time-read
2 分  |
June 2021
A taste for luxury
Identity

A taste for luxury

Häcker Kitchens is on a mission to 'disrupt the kitchen industry' in the Middle East

time-read
2 分  |
June 2021
An Italian affair
Identity

An Italian affair

An exclusive collection by online retail platform Artemest has been curated by Dubai-based interior designer and founder of Styled Habitat, Rabah Saeid, and combines Italian handcrafted pieces inspired by cosy nights in.

time-read
1 min  |
June 2021
At the nexus of design and function
Identity

At the nexus of design and function

Casamia is home to truly contemporary kitchens for lovers of elegance and understated style

time-read
1 min  |
June 2021
DESIGN FOCUS: A FEAST FOR THE EYES
Identity

DESIGN FOCUS: A FEAST FOR THE EYES

As a place for everything from cooking and eating to entertaining and gathering with family and friends, the kitchen is the heart of any home. It can be a space that invites creativity as well, not only with food but also with design. Contemporary or traditional, urban-inspired or with a countryside feel, adorned with neutral colours or noble materials, bespoke or modular: there are many options to reflect your own style.

time-read
4 分  |
June 2021
Contemporary heritage
Identity

Contemporary heritage

Launched just a few months ago, new brand and gallery Don Tanani revives the past with a contemporary eye, through objects that are at the crossroads of design and art

time-read
2 分  |
June 2021
Distant voices
Identity

Distant voices

The voices of 4000 Lebanese citizens have travelled to the Venice Architecture Biennale as part of Beirut-based architecture and design duo T SAKHI’s installation, ‘Letters from Beirut’. With the hope of fostering dialogue and honouring the Lebanese community, the installation shares narratives in the wake of the city’s ongoing reconstruction following the explosion in Beirut on 4 August last year.

time-read
2 分  |
June 2021
An urban legacy
Identity

An urban legacy

A new book chronicling Sharjah’s modern urban landscape offers a wide-ranging view of the UAE’s third-largest city

time-read
2 分  |
June 2021
WEEKEND LIFESTYLE
Identity

WEEKEND LIFESTYLE

This Sydney home achieves harmony through the perfect balance of proportions, materials and colours

time-read
3 分  |
June 2021
A labour of love
Identity

A labour of love

The House of Today platform has supported emerging design talent and students in Lebanon for nearly a decade. Today, in the face of ongoing challenges, their efforts remain as solid as ever.

time-read
5 分  |
June 2021