Designs on the world

There's been a recurring topic on social media these past weeks among some of Thailand's leading lifestyle and interior-design brands: Paris.

Until Sept 6, the City of Lights is playing host once again to Maison&Objet, a trade fair bringing together more than 3,000 of the most innovative design and lifestyle brands all over the world.

It's considered to be one of the most important fairs in the industry, setting the latest trends for the new season, and a surprising number of Thai brands will be showcasing their works during these four days.

More than 50 local brands -- consisting of nine self-sponsored brands, products from The Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand, and 43 brands sponsored under four projects by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) -- will present at the Paris Nord Villepinte Center's 8 Halls.

Maison&Objet has been taking place twice a year in Paris for the last two decades, with more events popping up in America and Asia in recent years. But it's been in around the latter half where Thai designers have started to slowly gain acceptance from the fair's target buyers, composed of concept and department stores, and specifiers like architects, interior designers and hoteliers looking for design ideas and solutions.

"France is known for their design works, especially in lifestyle," said ML Pasakorn Abhakorn, head of designer development at DITP. "Their fairs are very vibrant. They bring in home decor, furniture, fashion, etc, and mix it together. This goes with the range or products that Thai businesses do, so Thai brands fit very well into Maison&Objet."

Having sponsored Thai designers to attend this event for the past seven years, the DITP curates brands according to a few categories. Their "Talent Thai" group consists of experienced businesses who have already gone out in the foreign market and learned the trends in order to sell well within the fair. They also sponsor winners from their DeMark Awards, made up of relatively newer lifestyle and interior-design brands. Some of the DeMark awardees going this year are Barketek, a brand that produces beautiful pet products, Qualy, a quirky home-decor company and Dots Object, which produces wooden bicycles and was a smash hit at the recent Milan fair.

"We book an area where they can showcase their works together as award-winning businesses," said Pasakorn. The booths, coming in a number of different themes, are also designed by a few chosen DeMark award winners. "If it's the Talent Thai and DeMark booths, we emphasise on simplicity, so people focus on the products, as they are mostly skilled craftwork," Pasakorn explained. "We try to present Thainess in a contemporary way. There's also another zone: Isan Object, where we hired the designer from Ayothaya company to design the booth. She used local materials and redesigned them in order to go with today's trends."

This year, DITP has chosen a greater variety of brands to showcase in Maison&Objet. From large furniture designs based on local materials to bags and ceramics, Pasakorn wants buyers and viewers to be able to see the big picture of Thai design. "We try to choose works with craftsmanship, skill and natural materials, and where the product is quite international in order to fit with the [global] market," he explained.

What stands out about Thai design, according to Pasakorn, are our refined, detailed, elaborate and slow products. "This detailed work is also mixed in with international design and technology -- so the brands are able to make products en masse while still keeping the charm of the crafts [intact]. The designers that go usually present these types of works. Yothaka, Korakot and many other brands present their works this way. It's refined handicraft mixed into modern production methods."

However, not only are these brands filtered through the DITP; the Maison&Objet team must deliberate the exhibition proposals, as well. They review all companies in terms of marketing strategies, product development and creativity. "For those who match the Maison&Objet standard, we locate them in an environment that would attract relevant buyers," said Frederic Bougeard, director of international business development at Maison&Objet. "We do not put companies who sell the same products together, as we curate the environment according to style and genre."

This year, most of the Thai products will be in Hall 7, the best location of the event. "Ten years ago, Anon Pairot was selected for our Rising Talents in Maison&Objet Paris. At that time, Europe didn't know much about Thai design. A decade has passed, and the energy and creativity of Thai design has matured to a leading position in Asia. No doubt, Thailand is a Design Nation."

Maison&Objet Paris at the Paris Nord Villepinte Center, until Sept 6. General admission fee: €70 (2,700 baht).