Gift Focus - Jul/Aug 2019 (Issue 114)

140 Scandinavian living Everything you need to know about Formex, a leading Nordic interior design show hosted in Stockholm IN BRIEF Show Formex Organiser Stockholm International Fairs When 20 th -23 rd August, 2019 Where Stockholmsmässan, Stockholm Website formex.se Twitter @sthlmsmassan Formex returns in August with a new hall layout and special theme days to discuss hot industry topics. It Matters has been announced as this year’s overarching theme. This covers sustainability and how we interact with the world, as well as how valuing products and objects in an innovative way is a prerequisite for our future. New materials and processes are expected, alongside traditional craftsmanship and old-school wisdom. The hub for the new theme days will be the new inspiration and knowledge stage, located in Hall B. The themes are: Tuesday, 20 th August: Retail Wednesday, 21 st August: Sustainability Thursday, 22 nd August: Colours and Trends Friday, 23 rd August: Branding Another change for this year is the layout of the product areas and halls. “The objective of the new layout is to make it easier to navigate based on product area, order placement and supplier and to create a better flow in the halls,” said Lotta Ahlvar, operative event manager for the show. “We are also fulfilling a request from Formex’s visitors to better delineate our products areas. As a whole, I think the changes make the fair more dynamic and exciting.” Hall A will now house Dining, Scandinavian Living and Lifestyle Living. The Dining area embraces the entire dining experience, from preparation and serving, to everyday life and festive occasions. Hall B showcases Kids & Giving, Adding and Upcoming. The Kids & Giving section includes gifts for every occasion and for children of all ages. Smart gifts, Swedish handicrafts, creative packaging and innovative products for children and their parents make the point of difference in this section. The Adding section encapsulates fashion, accessories, lifestyle products and interior design products that add a little something extra to collections. This includes seasonal products like flip- flops and tunics for seaside locations, rubber boots for festival popups and much more. The Upcoming area features newly established companies and up- and-coming designers, as well as projects from schools and associations with design. Hall C covers Garden & Living and Wellbeing products. The former will cover decorative objects for the home and garden with a focus on plants as interior accessories. The Wellbeing area focuses on home fragrances, soaps, exercise products and all other items designed to promote health. Lotta explained: “The home now also has space for personal training and an interest in wellbeing. The designer yoga mat that stands rolled- up in the living room and the colourful running shoes on the shoe rack in the hall become new accessories and lifestyle markers, just like the on-trend scented candles in the bathroom.” This year’s guest creator is trend expert Lidewij “Li” Edelkoort. Li has previously attended Formex as a trend lecturer, but this year she and Philip Fimmano, art director at Edelkoort Inc., will create an exhibition in Stockholmsmässan Entrance Hall. This will be the show’s largest exhibition in terms of floor area to date. Li said: “The Formex fair has an optimism and happiness about it that is not present at most other commercial events like this; there is a nice flow, a friendly presence of people, rather well-made goods and a keen sense of hospitality. The fact that this is a Scandinavian experience must be the key to the success.” The theme of Li’s curated area will be animism – the belief that inanimate objects have souls. “The idea that we are all sentient beings connected in natural ways brings the idea of animism to the fore,” Li continued. “Even clouds and words could become objects of devotion.” For more information about the show, visit formex.se ADVERTISING FEATURE

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