Debuts and Revivals at Paris Design Shows
From fabrics to wall coverings, firms at premier Paris design events reimagined classic motifs and concepts of the past to adorn the future.
MILAN - Ushering in fresh takes on old classics, brands at interior design trade fair Maison & Objet and Paris Déco Off unveiled new prints and textures.
Around the 6th Arrondissement showrooms that constituted the textiles, wall coverings and trimmings event Paris Déco Off and the Parc des expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte trade grounds that housed Maison & Objet, a fresh chapter in textiles and wall coverings was being rewritten.
Loro Piana's Made-to-measure Service
Inside its Paris showroom and in a palette of natural hues, Loro Piana showcased the possibilities within its new made-to-measure services, with a focus on the bedroom, dining, bath and the spa zone, in order to cater to an overall uptick in interior design projects. Proposals, in terms of fabrics and colors, took their cues from the classic Loro Piana Interiors palette and heritage textiles.
“The expansion of our made-to-measure services lets us create complete, inimitable interior decoration projects, spaces that say something about us in every room with a harmonious language made up of materials, colors and elegance,” said Francesco Pergamo, director of Loro Piana's interior division. “The foundation of our collections is always the textiles, the hallmark of our excellence. For 2024, with a view towards personalization, we're focusing on the finest linens and cottons, and of course wherever possible a touch of cashmere, which is the essence of our DNA.”
In addition, the company introduced outdoor fabrics in Trevira, a patented, flameproof and weather-resistant material made with high percentages of recycled fibers, in stripes, solid colors and textured surfaces.
Sahco's New Classicism
German brand Sahco, which has been a player in the textile business for nearly two centuries, looked into its deep history to find the answers to its future. Inspired by a book titled "Neo-classicism in the North," a collection of Nordic architecture and art influences from the late 18th to early 19th century, the team re-contextualized both classic and "borderline tacky" motifs in a new light. Owned by Danish textile company Kvadrat since 2018, the fabrics maker said that this season patterns were "wild yet calm, emotional yet composed, grounded yet revolutionary."
Sahco's creative director, Swedish designer Bengt Thornefors, said his aim was to create striking designs that will endure. “A lot of people are searching for newness, but I think greatness is a better ambition. Our intention is to create products that have a reason to be. If somebody has taken the step to invest in this curtain or that upholstery textile, we need to have made it to last, design-wise and quality-wise. I would like to be able to hand it over to my kids — that's what we have in mind when we create products.”
Fazzini's New Angel Skin
Italian fabrics maker Fazzini expanded its Fazzini Atelier collection and introduced a new trademarked Pelle D'Angelo (angel skin) percale. Sophisticated jacquards and three-dimensional effects took their traditional bedding to a new dimension.
The new line is inspired by Milan's landmarks and architecture, which between the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th sparked a movement that influenced style around the world. It also marked an era of prosperity, in which the city's bourgeois spirit was at an all-time high.
Quenin, an Old French Classic, Is Reborn
If these fabrics could talk. Quenin, which was founded in 1865, rose to fame during the Belle Epoque for its innovative, avant-garde designs. Quenin's factory was
purchased by fabric, wallpaper, rugs and furniture manufacture Maison Lelièvre in 1973, affording the house the opportunity to endure into a new millennium.
Maison Lelièvre, which has preserved its archive since, relaunched the quintessentially French textile brand at Paris Déco Off — the decision driven by a rising penchant for fabrics that possess both "tradition and impertinence." The company pointed to a growing curiosity for rare toile de Jouy motifs driving searches on a wide scale.
“A curious customer looking for a specific fabric, such as a toile de Jouy, an Indian or an aniseed cotton velvet, will find at Quenin what he's looking for: a traditional fabric with a bold, modern twist. They will also be reassured by the brand's heritage as a publisher and manufacturer, a guarantee of robustness," the company said.
Serena Confalonieri's Ode to Midcentury Style
Classic with a twist. Milan-based designer and art director Serena Confalonieri, who made her debut at Milan Design Week in 2013 with rug companies Cc-Tapis and Nodus, and contemporary wallpaper and coverings maker Wall & Decò, infused Paris design season with some subtle sparks. Continuing her collaboration with Wall & Decò, she unfurled Fires. "It's an ode to the timeless charm of midcentury style: a cascade of vibrant fireworks shines in the dark sky, a contrast of lights and colors that evokes the energy of night parties," she said.
Maison & Objet opened Thursday and will run until Monday. Paris Déco Off opened Wednesday and will run until Sunday.