Last year’s debut was a resounding success, sparking conversations across the design world. With an expanded program this year, it’s clear that this format is here to stay. It’s fascinating how you don’t realize what’s been missing until something new appears—filling a void one hadn’t even noticed.
Set within two airy, tent-like pavilions designed by cultural polymath Willo Perron, the fair is strategically timed to coincide with Paris Fashion Week in early March, bridging the worlds of design and fashion. The organizers also reference a deeper historical connection, linking MATTER and SHAPE in a 100-year-anniversary to the landmark Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes of 1925, a defining moment in the history of decorative arts.
A Freshly Curated Mix of Talent
This year’s lineup—initially invited with an open call to design companies but also to fashion makers, new material innovators, and contemporary galleries—features a thoughtful selection of over 50 international exhibitors. It’s this mix of high and low pricing, along with products ranging from limited editions to industrial-scale production, that makes the fair intriguing and appeals to a wide range of visitors. Emerging designers and independent studios from Paris, Milan, Cape Town, and Athens, to name a few, present their work alongside long-established European manufacturers and major names in the design world.
The fair embraces a multidisciplinary approach, encouraging creatives and visitors alike to move beyond rigid categories—visual artists designing furniture, fashion stylists exploring product design, and unexpected collaborations taking shape.
A Platform for Connection and Influence
Speaking with exhibitors, many highlight MATTER and SHAPE as more of a platform for visibility and business networking than a direct sales-driven fair. It’s described as an opportunity to connect with potential distributors, initiate collaborations, and showcase new directions. The fair also features a concept-store-like shop on its premises, offering many of the exhibited products directly for sale. Magazines and design publications are displayed alongside, making it possible for visitors of any budget to take something home from the fair.
Another unexpected yet fitting addition to the fair is its restaurant. Designed by Willo Perron—who is also responsible for the overall architecture of MATTER and SHAPE—the space is brought to life by We Are Ona, the culinary movement founded by Luca Pronzato and featuring London-based chef Imogen Kwok. Throughout the exhibition days, We Are Ona offers a meticulously curated six-course lunch and an eight-course dinner. It’s yet another reflection of Dan Thawley’s vision for the fair—not merely as an event to rush through, but as a space for meaningful encounters and exchange.
Below: Saridis, cabinet makers from Athens since 1867, are showing and producing furniture designed by British architect T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings from the 1940s. In the picture are company owner Zois Spiliotis and creative director Yannis Mantzaris. The Greek brand are among the distinguished European manufacturers also represented at the fair.
A Fair in Motion.
The atmosphere of the fair feels refreshingly undone. Its open, airy architecture allows views of the park, avoiding rigid structures and embracing a generous spatial design. Strong fashion-world partners—such as Jil Sander, lending its name to a slim, but meaningful talk program, and Zara Home, which has furnished the fair’s two cafés—further emphasize the event’s cross-disciplinary approach.
MATTER and SHAPE isn’t about reinventing the wheel, but by fine-tuning key elements and embracing fluidity between the genres, it offers a fresh and exciting presence in the design landscape—one that sparks curiosity, invites exploration, and establishes Paris as an ever-evolving hub for creative exchange.
MATTER and SHAPE – www.matterandshape.com
