If you can imagine Fashion Week for interior design, most likely it would resemble the trade show Maison & Objet Paris. Since 1995 brands have been debuting new collections and bringing fresh talent to the forefront at this biannual show. Now its success has spawned a new version, Maison & Objet Americas which was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center May 12-15.
Miami is at the crossroads between North and South America, both physically and culturally. In addition, as a home to Art Basel and the hugely successful Miami Design District, it is quickly becoming know as an art and design capital.
M&O America's Designer of the Year award went to Brazilian furniture designer Zanini de Zanine. His intense and very sculptural furniture design is influenced by the diverse culture he comes from as well as by his father, well known architect and designer José Zanine Caldas.
We spent the day at the Miami Beach Convention Center touring the booths at M&O Americas. Here are just a few of my favorite finds.
Not only did I enjoy perusing the creatively turned out booths and exhibits, I also enjoyed listening to the world renowned talented and accomplished architect, Paola Navone. She shared the stage with Cindy Allen, Editor in Chief of Interior Design Magazine.
I connected with Ms. Navone on so many levels as she was skillfully interviewed by Cindy Allen. Navone loves and is inspired by the sea, calling it "liquid color". Her creativity is driven by curiosity and she eschews perfection. In fact she says, "I promote imperfection". In the following video she differentiates artist and designer.
It was a great experience and I'm so glad I took the time out of my busy summer season schedule to attend. Sometimes you just need that mental break and all the better when it is creatively inspiring and thought provoking. For more about the show click here. Maison & Objet Americas will be back for round two in 2016, May 10-13.