PARIS ON THE TILES
Lovely things from the Maison & Objet design fair
During my visit to the most recent Maison & Objet earlier this month, I was once again astounded by the calibre of design shown at the fair. I also had the opportunity to meet some of the designers and, of course, the facilitators who play such a vital role in the development of young designers. These are the people who support and enable designers to create world-class products and make a living from their craft. In many cases, they also support communities in the process — something that seems to be trending worldwide. Then I had the difficult task of having to choose some of my favourite products from the show. As this year’s lineup was of such a high standard, it was really not easy. After meeting some of the designers, I not only appreciated their vision but also their positive and, in many cases, ethical approach to design, something I feel should be a vital part of the process. Designing durable products that are manufactured locally to support local communities and ensuring high standards seemed to be factors running through the show — something that gives me hope for a better world where quality and durability is key and mass production and consumerism may be on the way out.