Emirati architect Abdalla Almulla, the UAE-based House of Artisans, and Dubai native Omar Al Gurg, who commissioned the UAE Designers Exhibition, are all prominent features, representing a more locally-rooted showcase that highlights the Emirate’s distinctive creativity.

The event emphasises originality over commercial readiness, with many of the works representing experimental or commissioned projects that embody sustainable and innovative techniques. Exhibits include structures made from unconventional materials like recycled refrigerator parts and innovative cement developed from 90% waste products. This year’s installations are grounded in environmental consciousness, as seen in unconventional furniture crafted using ancient reed-weaving techniques, merging traditional craftsmanship with futuristic design principles.

Dubai Design Week 2024 has sought to push boundaries with a focus on experimental prototypes, reflecting a commitment to exploring sustainable, culturally rich design practices. This philosophy underscores the week’s identity, making it a platform that promotes not only art and design but also social and ecological innovation.

In recent years, the event has built a reputation as one of the industry’s most cutting-edge gatherings, offering visitors an intimate look at groundbreaking projects that challenge conventional design approaches. By commissioning new works, Dubai Design Week enables local and regional designers to spotlight unique visions that speak to the UAE’s evolving design ethos.

This year’s Dubai Design Week also includes installations from international designers, such as Paris-based architect India Mahdavi, who brings her Middle Eastern heritage into her work, underscoring the event’s intercultural dialogue. However, the primary focus remains firmly on local creators, making Dubai Design Week an integral part of Dubai’s identity as a progressive design hub.

What sets this design fair apart is its ability to transform Dubai’s art and design landscape from an importer of international talent to an incubator of local ingenuity. It not only builds connections within the regional industry but also emphasises sustainability and cultural relevance, reshaping the global perception of Middle Eastern design. By investing in artists and craftspeople with roots in the region, Dubai Design Week provides a platform for innovation that embraces experimentation over commercial viability, reinforcing Dubai’s position on the international design stage as an emerging center for forward-thinking design and culture.

Ultimately, Dubai Design Week is about more than the final products on display—it’s a space for creators who are reshaping what design means for the region and beyond, fostering an inventive spirit that continues to redefine Dubai’s contribution to the global design community.

https://www.dubaidesignweek.ae

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Set within the iconic Grand Palais, the show weaves Paris’s rich cultural landscape into its framework, highlighting the city’s artistic heritage while fostering new collaborations and interactions. In addition to the galleries at the main venue, the fair reaches far beyond its walls with a series of institutional shows and events scattered throughout the French capital, creating an immersive cultural experience for attendees. The fair aims to build bridges with France’s thriving cultural sectors, linking the worlds of art, fashion, and luxury brands.

The Grand Palais itself serves as the perfect backdrop, offering an awe-inspiring architectural setting that enhances the viewing experience. The space, now freshly refurbished, captures the grandeur of Paris while allowing contemporary art to shine in a historic context. Notable attendees, such as French First Lady Brigitte Macron, reflect the fair’s growing prominence within both the cultural and social fabric of Paris.

One of the key highlights this year is the return of the Art Basel Shop, first introduced in Basel earlier in the year. The shop offers a playful mix of collaborations with luxury brands, such as Uniqlo’s partnership with the Musée du Louvre and Guerlain, blending art with fashion in a way that feels both chic and whimsical. This playful approach helps to keep the atmosphere lively and accessible, counterbalancing the highbrow art offerings with a dose of fun.

While Art Basel Paris does not boast the academic heft or extensive historical collections seen in other fairs like Art Basel in Basel or Frieze Masters, it does offer something uniquely Parisian: a fusion of contemporary art with the city’s vibrant cultural life. The event’s scale and quality, along with its stunning location and city-wide participation, make it a must-see on the international art circuit. Through its blend of art, culture, and commerce, Art Basel Paris has cemented its position as a flagship event in the global art scene, seamlessly intertwining the local and the global in one of the world’s most artistically rich cities.

Running alongside a plethora of institutional exhibitions, this fair offers a multifaceted art experience that not only showcases emerging talent and established galleries but also taps into Paris’s broader cultural ecosystem, ensuring it remains a vibrant focal point for the international art community.

Art Basel Paris.

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Unlike traditional design fairs, EDIT Napoli focuses on those challenging the conventional production and distribution chains. It curates a selection of international independent producers, enlightened manufacturers, and emerging designers who represent a shift in the design industry toward sustainability, transparency, and heritage-driven craftsmanship. This year, from October 11 to 13, visitors will discover a fresh array of emerging brands and artisans, offering a rare opportunity to interact with the makers behind their designs.

The fair emphasises the importance of sustainability in contemporary design, with discussions centred around transparent supply chains and eco-conscious production processes. This reflects a growing awareness in the design community about the environmental and social impacts of creation and production. By promoting designers who are prioritising these values, EDIT Napoli places itself at the forefront of a movement toward responsible and ethical design.

An important feature of the fair is the Best Unreleased Product award, which recognizes the work that best embodies EDIT Napoli’s core principles: intelligent design, high production standards, respect for heritage, and affordability. This prize highlights the innovative efforts of designers who are not only creating beautiful objects but are also rethinking how those objects are made, sold, and integrated into everyday life.

A standout element of EDIT Napoli is its commitment to supporting the designer-maker. This growing group of creators is notable for its ability to merge the roles of designer and producer, often taking complete ownership of the design and manufacturing process. This autonomy allows for greater creative control, ensuring that the end product reflects the vision and values of its creator without the constraints of mass production or corporate intervention. EDIT Napoli’s platform gives these designers the visibility and resources they need to thrive, while also connecting them with an audience eager for thoughtful, well-made products.

The fair’s venue, the Archivio di Stato di Napoli, adds another layer of charm and significance. Housing some of Italy’s most valuable historical documents, it provides a unique backdrop that resonates with the fair’s dedication to heritage and craftsmanship. The venue’s blend of history and contemporary design underscores EDIT Napoli’s role in bridging the past and future, where the reverence for tradition meets modern-day innovation.

As EDIT Napoli continues to grow, it reinforces its mission of fostering a global community of designers and artisans who share a commitment to authenticity, sustainability, and heritage. For anyone interested in the future of design, the fair offers a glimpse into the cutting-edge of craftsmanship, where creativity and responsibility intersect. With its thoughtful curation and focus on the designer-maker, EDIT Napoli is not just a fair but a celebration of a new direction in contemporary design.

editnapoli.com

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What makes PAD truly special is its ability to bridge the worlds of art and design in a way that appeals to both serious collectors and those with an eye for innovative craftsmanship. One of the most anticipated booths this year is Nina Yashar’s Nilufar Gallery, which presents a curated selection that reflects her Milanese roots and keen eye for groundbreaking design. Among the gallery’s offerings are Michael Anastassiades’s Bellagio floor lamp, a stunning example of his minimalist yet functional design, and Shlomo Harush’s striking copper chairs. These pieces reflect the gallery’s ongoing dedication to pushing the boundaries of contemporary design, mixing industrial aesthetics with organic forms.

For an art lover, PAD is more than just a fair; it’s an exploration of form, function, and the transformative power of design. Each year, it reaffirms London’s position as a center for cutting-edge creativity, and the 2024 edition is no exception. What sets PAD apart is not just the caliber of exhibitors but the sense of discovery—new names alongside established icons, each bringing a fresh perspective to the dialogue between art and design.

Despite the challenges of the post-Brexit art scene, PAD continues to thrive as a global meeting point, uniting galleries and collectors from across the world. The fair runs until Sunday, offering ample opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the world of contemporary and vintage art, design, and luxury craftsmanship. Whether you’re looking to acquire a standout piece or simply to be inspired, PAD London remains a peerless destination for those with a passion for the finest in art and design.

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Despite the challenges posed by Brexit, Frieze remains a proud platform for London’s creative resurgence. The fair will also feature unique artist-focused programming, including “Studio” under Sheena Wagstaff and “Smoke” curated by Pablo José Ramírez.

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One of the early highlights was the L’Oréal Paris “Walk Your Worth” show, which featured notable figures like Kendall Jenner, Jane Fonda, Heidi Klum, and Cara Delevingne gracing the runway. Meanwhile, Dior’s much-anticipated presentation drew in A-listers such as Natalie Portman, Rosalía, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Dior’s collection, as always, combined classic elegance with modern elements, seamlessly capturing the timeless Parisian aesthetic while appealing to contemporary tastes.

Among the season’s most talked-about events was Valentino’s show, the first under Alessandro Michele, who made his highly-anticipated return to fashion after revitalising Gucci during his previous tenure. Known for his unconventional yet wildly successful design approach, Michele’s debut at Valentino injected fresh energy into the iconic Italian house, setting a new creative benchmark.

The Valentino runway transformed into a scene of opulent disarray: shattered mirror tiles reflected light across the floor, while covered armchairs and lamps evoked the image of a grand, long-abandoned mansion. This mise-en-scène symbolized Michele’s intention to awaken the house of Valentino from its dormant elegance and inject a new, rebellious vitality. His designs echoed the juxtaposition of refinement and playfulness, with ladylike jackets appearing alongside crystal nose rings, and romantic tiered gowns mixed with quirky bellhop jackets.

One of Michele’s strengths has always been his ability to blend history with modernity, and this collection was no exception. He pulled from Valentino’s golden years, the 1970s, and merged archival references with newer, more avant-garde elements. The result was a feast for the senses—literally, as Michele stated his interest in decorating the models’ faces to enhance sensory experience, playing on the relationship between fashion and perception.

What set this collection apart was its underlying precision. Despite its outward exuberance, each silhouette was carefully considered, with every embellishment carrying a story. Michele’s designs were extravagant and flamboyant, yet imbued with a mature elegance that reflected Valentino’s legacy. The signature Valentino red featured prominently, a nod to the house’s heritage, but even this was reinterpreted through Michele’s avant-garde lens.

The rest of Paris Fashion Week saw similar trends of blending tradition with modernity. Designers like Marine Serre, Dries Van Noten, and Rick Owens experimented with wearable, everyday elegance, bringing “enhanced realism” to the forefront. The week showcased how fashion continues to evolve, drawing on cultural and historical narratives while pushing boundaries in terms of creativity and craftsmanship.

Ultimately, Paris Fashion Week 2024 celebrated the power of reinvention, with Valentino’s reawakening under Michele as a standout moment that signaled a bold new chapter for both the designer and the house.

The overall event reaffirmed Paris as the reigning capital of fashion, where luxury, art, and history converge in the most spectacular ways.

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Starting tomorrow, it features a stunning array of luxury yachts, cutting-edge maritime technology, and lifestyle exhibits. The show is renowned for its exclusive VIP offerings, such as the “Sapphire Experience,” which provides privileged access to yachts, private tours, and networking events.

This year’s edition focuses on sustainability with a dedicated Sustainability Hub, showcasing eco-friendly innovations and green yachting technologies​.

In addition to the superyacht displays, Monaco Yacht Show is known for its glamorous social scene, where visitors can attend high-profile events, exclusive parties, and fine-dining experiences at venues like COYA Monte Carlo and Buddha-Bar​. It’s a unique blend of maritime excellence and luxury lifestyle, attracting industry professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Tickets may be purchased from monacoyachtshow.com

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Since its inception in 2018, the festival has covered 12 sites, featuring over 400 designers, architects and artists. This year, highlights included a contemporary exhibit at Villa del Grumello and a unique collection of chairs at Palazzo del Broletto.

Beyond the displays, designers enjoyed the collaborative atmosphere, set against the backdrop of Como’s mountains and lake, the event offers a refreshing escape from Milan’s urban bustle.

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This is no ordinary coffee table! Offering quick and easy transformation from a low level coffee table or centre table to a full size dining table in two swift actions.

Gently raise the table top and it glides into position; then simply unfold to create a dining table to comfortably seat six guests.

A soft-touch closing drawer in the base is perfect for storing table wear, and the table comes complete with locking wheels making it easy to move into position when your guests arrive.

When not in use as a dining table it becomes a perfectly proportioned coffee or centre table to compliment any living room.

TRANSFORMER Extendable Coffee Dining Table is perfect when space is at a premium; ideal for apartments, living rooms or as an occasional table to accommodate additional guests.

It is available in dark walnut or light oak, and as you would expect, is of the highest quality. Other finishes available by special order. If you have any questions about which one is right for you, please get in touch.

Available now exclusively from Maddox Quirke and with an introductory offer price too.

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At Maddox Quirke we have always sought to bring you the very best in premium furnishings and luxury lighting. This year we want to go one step further and offer an even better range of lamps, chandeliers, cabinets, chairs and much more.

We will also be upgrading our website to bring you even more choice, and as ever we are always on hand to help with your selections or offer advice.

We look forward to being of service to you in 2021, and wish all our clients, suppliers, followers and friends the very best for a health, happy and prosperous 2021. And if you’re looking for a little extra luxury at home, please do get in touch.

Cheers!

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