Design Défilé highlights the challenges of tomorrow
Spearheaded by French Living in Motion, the Design Défilé, with scenography by the agency JAKOB+MACFARLANE, showcases 53 French creations, each illustrating the challenges currently facing the furniture industry. The event brings together brands and design houses committed to "Made in France" and sustainability under a shared ambition.
In the heart of Brera, a fashion show unlike any other is taking place. Initiated by French Living in Motion, the event brings together 53 French creations, including 38 pieces of furniture, through April 26. Among them, 28 brands have mobilized to champion a collection rooted in contemporary sustainability issues. "It is important to understand that the 'French Living' label is an alliance between the French furniture industry, which brings together several brands to support them in the transformation of society, and French design, which aims to drive innovation in the furniture sector through the lens of design. In other words, this union, initiated in 2024, aims to promote French furniture sustainably. That is the whole meaning of 'In Motion,' which embodies this spirit of dynamism.", explains Catherine Vereecke, Director of Communication and Markets for L’Ameublement français.
The collective has drawn from a wide range of SMEs and mid-sized companies active in both the hospitality and residential sectors. The selection is displayed across two spaces. Conceived as an initial glimpse into design creation, the French Design section presents 15 indoor and outdoor furniture pieces, notably by Andrée Putman, Elliott Barnes, and OUD Architecture, and produced by French manufacturers such as Airborne, Atelier Sumbiosis, Maison Pouenat, and Siegeair. This selection is complemented by a second, highlighting 13 French houses—both heritage and contemporary—each presenting three pieces emblematic of their identity. It is a way for houses like Franck Genser, Mercœur Édition, and Sokoa to showcase the breadth of their expertise and the creativity that defines them. According to Catherine Vereecke, "beyond the heritage dimension, this selection was primarily designed to view furniture as a creation in motion, in connection with the body, movement, and time."
A Fashionable Scenography
As the true common thread of the event, the sustainability of the pieces—as well as that of the companies and their processes—prompted the project's initiators to once again call upon the agency JAKOB+MACFARLANE. Having collaborated with French Design on numerous occasions, the agency is this time reinterpreting the codes of fashion. By adopting the concept of a birch-wood runway and playing with light, the duo focused primarily on the fundamental notion of the collective: movement. "The idea that guided us for this scenography was the desire to question design. How do people perceive it, what do they take away from it, and what do they expect from it in a complex world of polycrisis? But the challenge was also one of evolution." Considering that furniture is much more than functional and that it also influences its environment, the designers chose to stage the power of furniture over space and people. Visitors are invited to walk along the runway, which traverses the space from the outdoor courtyard to the interior. "Nothing is partitioned here. The idea is to experience the space as the elements dictate, giving free rein to the expression of craftsmanship." It is a way to create a dialogue between pieces and expertise—some of which has not changed since the 18th century—that finds itself in the spotlight more than ever today, at a time when local sourcing matters just as much, if not more, than traditional techniques.
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