Decorex design event returns to London in October

It's been eighteen months since the world first went into lockdown to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. But with successful vaccination programmes in place, a new normal is starting to emerge. For the design world, this means rediscovering the importance of in-person interaction and live launches, while ensuring that digital accessibility continues to maintain its prominence.

It is now clear that the future will be hybrid. Some of us will work from home at least some of the time, if not most. Our new-found appreciation of the local and the artisanal will extend beyond homemade sourdough loaves, into the products we buy and the trips we take. And events which have had to be held online will be held physically once again – while enhanced virtual experiences will continue to offer a lifeline to those who are not attending in person.

Decorex – one of the mainstays of London's design calendar – was staged as a fully digital event in 2020. Its organisers developed The Edit, a dedicated online platform offering virtual seminars, networking events and a catalogue of the latest launches. Still, as Decorex Events Director Sam Fisher says: ‘There's nothing quite like face-to-face contact,’ as the event returns this October to London's Olympia.

There's also a strong appetite among consumers for home improvement, and Covid is undoubtedly changing the way we furnish our homes. Year-on-year spending rose 30 per cent to £110billion in the UK as people set up home offices or otherwise made their homes pandemic proof. ‘[The pandemic] has reinforced this with a heightened focus on domestic life, but it has also upended how we use our homes; they have become everything from school, office, exercise area, to retreat,’ says Charu Gandhi, founder and director of Elicyon, who will be speaking at the event.

Similarly, many offices have undergone – or will undergo – major upgrades to lure workers back and make them more Covid resilient. All of this has been keeping architects and designers busy, and events like Decorex offer up a crucial opportunity to reconnect with established brands as well as newcomers, and discover what has changed over the past two years, while getting up close with new products. ‘The last 18 months have left us all designing in a vacuum with little opportunity to get up close and personal with fabrics and other materials,’ says Susie Rumbold, creative director of London-based Tessuto Interiors, ‘We are excited to be able to touch and appreciate lovely things again, and Decorex is the perfect place to do this.’

International travel restrictions mean that most design shows will still be somewhat smaller – at least for the time being. ‘But we’re excited that we can still bring the high-quality bespoke products and exceptional craftsmanship to the show that the Decorex brand is known for,’ says Fisher. Wider aisles and digital passes will help instil a sense of confidence in visitors, but the main goal of this year's edition is to serve up a sense of excitement and fun. A whimsical bar inspired by the circus, conceived by interior designer Sara Cosgrove, will provide the perfect opportunity to meet and relax over a drink, while an entrance installation designed by Moritz Waldmayer called 'True Love' will feature a light display with butterflies cascading down the columns of the show's venue.

Those unable to attend due to travel restrictions and travel concerns will still be able to experience the show in full by attending Decorex Virtual, which will be held over three days in November. The virtual edition will offer a 3D walkthrough of the exhibition and recordings of events. Taking a fresh approach, the virtual event will also include new content for online audiences, providing even those who attend the physical event with an enriched experience.

‘We are excited to see the London design fairs open back up this year,’ says Gandhi. Apart from the prospect of face to face meetings with brands, designers and artisans, events like Decorex are ‘a great opportunity for us as industry professionals to get together once again to celebrate the creative arts.’ Fisher agrees: ‘It will be a welcome return for a lot of the industry so that they can not only show their products to thousands of designers, but also catch up and network with peers and the community that we all know and love.’

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