Explore Paris Design Week 2019

September is a big month for design in Paris, kicking off this week with Paris Design Week 2019 (PDW) and coming to a close at the end of the month with Paris Fashion Week! From Thursday, September 5th to Saturday the 14th Paris Design Week immerses the city in promenades, cocktails, and exhibitions showcasing the best of design in Paris. The 9th annual event overlaps the renowned Maison&Objet Paris September edition (Sept. 6-10) and culminates into the celebration of emerging talents in the industry at Le Off.
So, if you are heading to the city of lights for the French, and increasingly international design community, expo, or are just curious what is on the agenda look no further! Love Happens loves Paris and design so we have curated a list of some of our favorite must-sees to help you explore the fair!
Paris Design Week 2019:
The Theme
The theme of this year’s Paris Design Week is “Hybrid”. A perfect theme for the event’s creative melting-pot. Hybridization is something we regularly witness. Be it in the combination of manufacturing techniques, the association of unexpected materials. Or the bringing together of diverse expertise to work on the same project. Through the “Hybrid” theme Paris Design Week 2019 invites visitors to experience a combination of many different elements resulting in an incredible source of inspiration and experiences.
With events throughout the city focused on hybridization the theme provides a prism through which visitors can observe the versatility of objects, furniture, and spaces. One such example is the workplace that is becoming more and more hybrid – as you’ll see at MAISON&OBJET, whose WORK! theme provides the perfect illustration. In addition, during Paris Design Week #Materiomorphose, Market Value’s playful sensory itinerary will immerse you in a totally new selection of innovative, hybrid, eco-designed materials. Whereas Le Monde Sauvage provides a “live” interpretation of the theme thanks to the many possibilities of its “configurator”, which lets the user choose the shape of a sofa that best corresponds to him/her. And don’t miss the chance to visit eliumstudio in Belleville, a new and quintessential hybrid global design studio focussing on creativity, collaborative working, and experimentation.
Exploring Paris Design Week:
“The Absolute Proof” & 8 Themed Walks
We often think of Paris as the Capital of Design and during this edition of Paris Design Week the event coordinators have set out to deliver the absolute proof that it is exactly that!
Paris Design Week’s eight promenades are devised to meet your tastes and expectations. Not only are they sure to captivate you, but these visitor itineraries are also an opportunity to discover other themes. And to let yourself be surprised by the many aspects of design.

With over 200 participating venues (showrooms, galleries, workshops, restaurants, hotels, museums, and institutions) offering exhibits, pop-up installations, and product presentations across 4 neighborhoods (Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Les Halles-Marais-Bastille, Opéra-Concorde-Etoile and Barbès-Stalingrad), let’s just say there is LOTS to see! So in order to help visitors find their way around and take in absolutely everything on offer, each day Paris Design Week will be turning the spotlight on one specific district, culminating in an evening drinks reception:
- Thursday, September 5th: Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Friday, September 7th: Les Halles-Marais-Bastille
- Saturday, September 8th: Vertbois
- Sunday, September 9th: Opéra-Concorde-Étoile
- Monday, September 10th: Pigalle-Barbès-Stalingrad
8 Themed Walks
To accompany the action in each district, 8 design trails give everyone the opportunity to tailor their time at PDW. These themed walks will also give visitors the opportunity to explore previously unchartered territory and be astounded by the many faces of design.
Let’s run through what’s on offer:
#ArtDesign
When art and design meet. Objects become sculptures, and artworks become useful.
#Upcycling
When design gives materials the chance at a new life by being reintroduced into the production chain in a totally new form.
#Work
Join specialized industry professionals to explore new approaches to workspaces and changes to our working environments.
#Projets
Meet interior design professionals who can help give your projects a whole new dimension.
#Savoir-Faire & #Know-How
A circuit where industrial structures give way to hand-made intelligence. Proof that fine craftsmanship and design were made to get along! And a chance to discover “EPV” brands (companies with the “living heritage” label) and traditional, sometimes age-old, French know-how.
#IconicDesign
Icons of design and their boutiques. Enjoy a leisurely stroll admiring the work of some of the design world’s most iconic names in the showrooms where they are exhibited.
#FoodDesign
Design is delicious! These concept restaurants and stores specializing in the culinary arts will not only serve up a feast for your eyes but will leave you hungry for more!
#FashionDesign
Design is in fashion, and fashion is in design. Explore the relationship between fashion and design—a dangerous, fleeting or sustainable liaison.
Must-See Districts & Exhibits During Paris Design Week 2019
LE OFF: A Spotlight on New Talent in a Hub of Creativity
As it does each year, the Le Off exhibit is a breeding ground for young talent. A “springboard” for emerging designers and a definite highlight of Paris Design Week. This year the event is taking up residence in Vertbois, a hub of creativity in the heart of Paris.

Source: Courtesy of Maison & Objet
Just north of the Marais, Vertbois’ streets are filled with concept stores, restaurants, and some of the most visionary and creative galleries of the moment. The previously rather sleepy neighborhood has become a culture of excellence and know-how.
During Le Off some fifteen permanent venues that call this now buzzing neighborhood home will be joined by an additional fifteen temporary spaces set up especially for events and exhibitions dedicated to a new generation of around 50 Millennial designers. An exceptionally talented group who are ready to show off their prototypes and original new collections.
A Creative Approach to Upcycling
Environmental concerns are top priority across industries and the design world is no different. Throughout Paris Design Week contests and exhibitions focus on the concept of sustainable living and upcycling.

Source: Rossana Orlandi
GuiltlessPlastic – Ro Plastic Prize 2019
A project by the mythical Milanese gallerist Rossana Orlandi sees the first edition of the Ro Plastic Prize 2019 with unique pieces created from recycled plastic by some of the world’s most famous designers. Check out the results at BHV MARAIS (an Italian focused celebration of design at Eataly Paris Marais in the Marais district – read more about this below).
Design Zéro Déchet* Contest
Organized by Syctom, a key stakeholder in the waste treatment sector in Ile-de-France, the Design Zéro Déchet* contest showcases a wide range of solutions for reducing waste and recycling more effectively.
“Matter Matters”
An exhibition using minimal scenography in the kitsch decor of an unused boutique at 13 rue du Vertbois by ENSCI – Les Ateliers
NÛR Gallery Paris – Palimpseste
Head to NÛR Gallery in Saint-Germain-des-Près to discover Palimpseste. A collection of unique pieces painted and embroidered by Yentele for Oxymore Paris. A “rewrite” project that gives a new life to antique linens with rust marks by associating upcycling and know-how.
A Tribute to the USA
The Rising Talents Awards organized by MAISON&OBJET reward excellence amongst emerging designers from around the world. This year, the immense territory and cultural diversity of the US will provide the expert jury with food for thought.

After editions that focused on the creative scenes of the United Kingdom, Italy, Lebanon and China, an eminent jury will take a close look at the US design scene with six promising designers (individuals or companies) selected by seven USA-based personalities: Rafael de Cárdenas, Odile Hainaut, Claire Pijoulat, Jerry Helling, Rosanne Sommerson, Nasir Kassamali and David Rockwell.
And to continue the pleasure of the “Made in USA” experience, make your way to Espace Froissart for “American Design in Paris”, an exhibition that not only brings together the very best of this year’s Rising Talents but also presents a selection of pieces by Triode and WantedDesign. Don’t miss the superb focus on the cutting-edge art of glass and light!
Pouenat
Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Source: Maison & Objet
If it is a charming and secret Paris that you want to discover, you should definitely head to Pouenat. Set in the Passage Dauphine, Pouenat is a company whose craftsmen have been working with wrought iron for almost 150 years and which is now at the forefront of contemporary design. An exceptional example of traditional French know-how who top names such as Sybille de Margerie, François Champsaur, Charles Zana, Tristan Auer, and Gilles and Boissier call upon when they are looking for the finest wrought-iron creations. From hand-hammered, oxidized, pricked, patinated and rubbed brass to waxed steel, etched metals, brushed copper and mirror polished stainless steel, the palette of different materials that this passionate company offers creative professionals is the stuff of which their dreams are made.
BHV Marais at Eataly Paris Marais
Les Halles / Marais / Bastille

Source: Maison & Objet
The BHV Marais is a true place for living and inspiration. It is here that fashion, design, creative leisure activities, restaurants, and workshops make it a unique multi-specialist reference in France. To kick off the fall season, Eataly, a favorite department store of Parisians, focuses on the best in design and decoration in an event celebrating Italian lifestyle by associating with talent scout Rossana Orlandi. This mythical Milanese figure in the design world presents iconic pieces from her Milan gallery on the store’s 5th floor. In the Marais courtyards linking LE BHV Marais and Eataly, Marco Lavit (Atelier Lavit), Nicola Spinetto (Nicola Spinetto Architectes) and Rossana Orlandi will present special decoration installations imagined just for the event.
Studio NOCC Chez NellyRodi
Opéra / Concorde / Étoile

Source: Photo by Yannick Labrousse / Maison & Objet
Trend agency NellyRodi invited Studio NOCC to come back to the offices they designed for them to present the “10 x 1 year” installation. An exhibit that retraces a decade of the studio’s most iconic design projects.
Staying On Top: An Interview with Vincent Gregoire, Creative Director of NellyRodi
Ayn Gallery
Les Halles / Marais / Bastille

Source: Maison & Objet
Tucked away on the Île Saint-Louis, Ayn Gallery showcases fine arts, design & interior design. The gallery focuses particularly on the 20th and 21st centuries. One-off pieces, limited series, furniture, and lighting are selected thanks to the talented eye of its founder Yasmine Azzi.
An Exploration of Architectural Furnishings at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine

Source: Maison & Objet
Almost 250 items, 120 architects and 80 design houses are behind the Le Mobilier d’Architectes de 1960 à 2020 (architectural furnishings from 1960 to 2020) exhibition at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. The exhibition lifts the veil on how architects contribute to the decorative arts by designing furniture, objects and lights, each imbued with their own unique style and vision. The subject is examined from both a historical and technological standpoint, turning the spotlight on some truly iconic pieces. And for the first time ever, the exhibition is set to stretch right across the entire Cité. On display until September 30th, 2019.
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