Formex and Stockholm Furniture Fair: Great design, celebrated and exhibited

In January and February, Stockholm is flooded with world-class design as two expertly crafted fairs and Stockholm Design Week fill the city centre with exciting popups and events. Formex exhibits the latest in interior design while Stockholm Furniture Fair is the leading platform for furniture – and lighting design and architecture. Both fairs are vital meeting places for exhibitors, buyers and enthusiasts and the breeding ground for great Nordic design.

Formex

Formex is gearing up for another busy fair exhibiting the best of Nordic interior design, with plenty of activities returning from previous years along with exciting new events. The theme of this year is Generation Love and will be explored through exhibitions, workshops and talks. ”The theme is about connecting past, present and future under the banner of unity and love; exploring our past to see how it’s shaped our present and using this to decide what we wish for our future. The main exhibition, created by Dennis Valencia who is a prominent interior design stylist, will be weaving together layers of time through different environments, bringing together worlds that can coexist in tune with each other. This year is all about uniting people, seeing an industry with all its creative individuals and ventures supporting one another, and Formex is created to be that platform where new ideas spring,” says Sonja Björk Ebert, project area manager of Formex.

Formex is known to be the springboard for new talent, and the annual award Design Talent is presented to up-and-coming individuals in the industry, with the winner revealed during the fair. Another recently established award, the Formex Sustainability Award, will be presented to a business with a product in which great design has been combined with outstanding consideration of various sustainability factors. ”The winner will be presented with a glass sculpture that’s been exclusively created on the fair grounds, designed by Marie Louise Hellgren,” says Björk Ebert. “In addition to the awards, we’ve been focused on creating a new level of buzz at the fair – we’ve increased the number of workshops, and we have more interesting lecturers than ever: Stefan Nilsson, Helena Lyth, Sara Garanty, Louise Klarsten, Tareq Taylor and so many more will be on stage talking about their thoughts on the industry. And, as always, there will be hundreds of exhibitors who will showcase their products – simply, the best of Nordic design.”

Stockholm Design Week will flood central Stockholm with great events, exhibitions and popups. Photo: Martin Brusewitz

Stockholm Furniture Fair

If you’re looking for the next big thing in Scandinavian furniture design, a solid advice is to start by looking at the Stockholm Furniture Fair. The event has established itself as the leading fair for Scandinavian furniture design and as per the usual setup, it will take place at Stockholmsmässan, while Stockholm Design Week floods the city centre with exciting popups and exhibitions. ”February is the month when Stockholm is inundated with the best of Scandinavian design. Stockholm Furniture Fair is going all in for our industry, the exhibitors as well as visitors, and this year will bring more buzz than ever. We have a fantastic lineup to look forward to with numerous exhibitions, talks and events: The Guest of Honour 2024 is the Italian design studio Formafantasma, who will be highlighting their dedication to research and culture with a large instalment at the entrance square. Our Talks program is curated in collaboration with different platforms including Pin-Up Magazine and Disegno Journal. We’re arranging after-work mingles with DJ’s every day after 3pm, and each exhibition hall will have a unique design bar made for gatherings and events,” says Hanna Nova Beatrice, director of Stockholm Furniture Fair.

The Italian design studio Formafantasma are the guests of honour at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024. Photo: Marco Cappelletti

Greenhouse is the platform where emerging designers can showcase their innovative products and meet future partners, producers and the press. New Ventures is another space created for emerging talents, an area filled with designers and selected first-time exhibitors who will be reflecting on new tendencies in the design industry. The winners of the Scandinavian Design Awards, an award established to celebrate the best of Nordic design, architecture and interiors in seven categories, will be presented in an exhibition at the fair. The exhibition Älvsjö Gård is back showcasing approximately 15 galleries and designer-makers, moving between small scale and industry.”We welcome new thinking, brave ideas and collaborations, and Stockholm Furniture Fair is and will always remain a marketplace for the ambitious. It’s not about one single brand – it’s about the collective design industry, and our activities are created with one sole focus in mind – to support and promote established and emerging Scandinavian design,” Nova Beatrice concludes.

Engaging talks are on the agenda. Photo: Angelica Liljenroth

Formex is hosted at Stockholmsmässan, 16-18 January 2024
www.formex.se
Stockholm Furniture Fair, Stockholmsmässan, 6-10 February 2024
Stockholm Design Week, Stockholm, 5-11 February 2024
www.stockholmfurniturefair.se, stockholmdesignweek.com
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