For the past couple weeks, my inbox has been filled to the brim with invitations to cocktail parties, various soirées and product introductions at Déco Off, the annual fabric and design show in central Paris. A year ago, Sarah and I ventured out into a very cold City of Light for our first ever Paris Design Week and it was everything you might imagine. Over 100 showrooms and 40,000 visitors. Incroyable!
One knows they have arrived at Déco Off from the huge lanterns strung across the streets of the 2nd and 6th Arrondissements. The lanterns are covered in the fabrics of the various design houses and light the way from one glorious showroom to the next.
Our sweet little apartment in Saint-Germain-des-Prés had lanterns just outside the window where we ate breakfast each morning. YES, were were truly in the middle of it all!
If you have ever been to Paris, you know that one of the best pastimes is window shopping and Déco Off did not disappoint. Cupcakes, fruit, birds and cocoons all made from fabrics, of course. The creativity charmed and inspired us!
Paris has been an inspiration to us for many years. Our first trip there together was back in 2003 when Amy turned 40. Ever since, we have enjoyed solo trips, family trips and mother-daughter trips. This was our first ever business trip, hopefully the first of many.
In addition to the usual glory that is Paris, we were able to take a deep dive into the European design scene, particularly the world of fabrics. We find that color trends usually show up first in the textile markets and seeing what arrives overseas is a great indicator for what we can expect on this side of the Atlantic in the years to come. Keeping ahead of the curve helps us bring longevity to the design work we do for you, our clients.
One of the best parts of these design trips is running into industry buddies. We had an amazing dinner in Paris with our friend Saana Baker, color maven and textile expert. For her deep dive into fabric and design, check out THE TEXTILE EYE
In a couple months, Sarah will be off to study color in Belgium with two fantastic teachers and then she and I both hope hit the design shows in London in the fall. Stay tuned!
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