Scouting Report

Design-industry trade shows and their hard-partying cousins, design weeks and biennials, aren’t just good places to see the latest from international stars like Philippe Starck or Marcel Wanders. They’re also excellent opportunities to gauge emerging trends and discover fresh talent. This isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Last year’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile, in Milan, attracted a record 348,000 visitors clamoring to check out work from 2,450 exhibitors. In those kinds of crowds, it can be a challenge to maintain your sanity, let alone see everything and draw meaningful conclusions (although we do try). But it’s worth the effort to be among the first to notice a talented young designer, of which there are plenty these days. Here we present 14 standouts from around the globe, plus the dates of upcoming fairs so you can do your own scouting.

2009 TRADE SHOWS AND DESIGN FESTIVALS

JANUARY 19–25
IMM COLOGNE ★ Cologne, Germany
JANUARY 23–27
MAISON ET OBJET ★ Paris

FEBRUARY 4–8
STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR ★ Stockholm, Sweden
FEBRUARY 5–8
TORONTO INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW ★ Toronto
FEBRUARY 13–17
AMBIENTE ★ Frankfurt, Germany

APRIL 22–27
SALONE INTERNAZIONALE DEL MOBILE ★ Milan

MAY 8–10
BROOKLYN DESIGNS ★ Brooklyn
MAY 14–16
HOSPITALITY DESIGN EXPO ★ Las Vegas
MAY 16–19
INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE FAIR ★ New York
MAY 21–23
SIDIM ★ Montreal

JUNE 15–17
NEOCON WORLD’S TRADE FAIR ★ Chicago

SEPTEMBER 4–8
MAISON ET OBJET ★ Paris
SEPTEMBER 17–21
ABITARE IL TEMPO ★ Verona, Italy
SEPTEMBER 23–27
INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR OF VALENCIA ★ Valencia, Spain
SEPTEMBER 24–27
100% DESIGN ★ London

OCTOBER 1–11
VIENNA DESIGN WEEK ★ Vienna, Austria