Product Preview is a weekly series spotlighting the latest and greatest debuts in the marketplace. Check back every Friday for what’s new and notable.
It’s been a wild 10 days for design lovers, including yours truly. I wrapped up Labor Day weekend at the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay—a centuries-old Cistercian monastery converted into a dreamy hotel in the French countryside—and by the end of the week I was unearthing the latest and greatest product launches for the fall edition of Paris Design Week. From bar cabinets clad in discarded eggshells to iridescent, galaxy-themed floor mirrors, here are some of my favorite finds at Maison&Objet and beyond.
Maison&Objet’s Designer of the Year in hospitality, Lionel Jadot, presented his “Radical Anthropocene Adhocism” exhibit at the Villepinte Parc des Expositions. The installation drew inspiration from the Belgian designer’s brutalist interiors for the Mix hotel in Brussels and featured the sustainable works of more than two dozen circularity-driven makers, including grass-root-based leather alternatives by biodesigner Mathilde Wittock; Atelier Falaise’s hand-carved hardwood stools; and a terrazzo-esque chair by Bel Albatros made from plastic waste.
The Panoptikum Collections Maison&Objet booth made me want to break out in song. Highlights from the Ukrainian gallery’s showcase included the delightfully bulbous Bubbles cabinet by Andrii Rudenko; the curved Kharkiv oak Khmyz collection by Andrii Khvorostianov; and my current obsession, Vlad Tolochko’s Four Seasons, a striking set of four decorative glass mirrors with color-shifting holographic frames that evoke the sun and moon.
Tonester Paints unveiled a collaboration with luxury bedding brand Treca Paris in a stunning installation in the courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine. Crafted in partnership with French architecture and design studio Uchronia, the vibrant exhibit featured a bespoke palette of hues inspired by the iconic hotel’s interiors and showcased a dedicated sleeping area with a sunken bed and an oversize hand-stitched headboard.
Pierre Yovanovitch premiered Röllakan inside his Paris showroom. On display through October 5, the collection pays tribute to antique Swedish textiles and spans 15 one-of-a kind Clam chairs upholstered in vintage rugs woven by esteemed Nordic artisans—including Ingegerd Silow, Karin Jonsson and Anne-Marie Boberg—using centuries-old Scandinavian flat-weaving techniques.
The Invisible Collection’s Making Memories line is a love letter to Marcel Proust. Staged inside the intricately paneled rooms of legendary woodwork firm Féau Boiseries, the breathtaking installation showcased an array of dreamy designs ranging from Emmanuel Levet Stenne’s plaster-legged Dress Up dining table to the gold-plated brass Foliage chandelier by Goossens and a colorful marble coffee table courtesy of Francesco Balzano.
At the Maison Rocher gallery, Beni Rugs debuted a collaboration with Danish design brand Frama. The collection, called Terrain, introduces a trio of undyed flat-woven floorcoverings composed of all-natural wool sheared directly from Atlas Mountain sheep, including the deep black Soil, the taupe brown Sand and the pale-gray-tinged Salt.
Yellowdot’s Hatch collection enlivened the Hong Kong Design on Stage showcase at Maison&Objet. The artfully upcycled series offers everything from pendant lights to room dividers and bar cabinets, with finishes fashioned from resin and discarded eggshells—which creates a super cool light-scattering effect when illuminated.
Jonathan Adler debuted an assortment of characterful new designs at the fair. In addition to the asymmetrical ebonized oak Oeuf desk and the Globo bar cart with its rows of emerald acrylic cabochons, eye-catchers included the 1970s-style Chambeige series and the Milano cocktail table, an architectural stunner with five terrazzo tabletops and a blackened steel base.
Maison&Objet’s “Terra Cosmos” exhibition was an ode to outer space. The otherworldly installation—which served as the overall theme for the fair—showcased a symphony of celestial pieces by avant-garde designers, with highlights such as a shimmery iridescent-finished Beetle stool by Imperfetto Lab; an undulating nebula-inspired paper bench wall by Molo; and the constellation-like Attraverso lighting range by Moss Series.
Ethnicraft’s latest dining room styles, Bok and Tacet, stopped me straight in my tracks at the fair. Designed by Alain van Havre, the first offering is a solid wood chair that mimics the curvy silhouettes of goat horns, while the second is a clean-lined dining table that features a varnished teak top and sleek black metal base and seats up to eight comfortably.
Bují blessed the show’s attendees with an artful assortment of highly collectible candles. Handcrafted in alabaster sourced from Spain, the sculptural series is designed with jagged crownlike tops and comes in refillable, perfumed, soy-based wax scents such as the honeysuckle-infused Avant le Jour and Soleil Royal, a bergamot-based aroma with heart notes of melon and orange flower.
Italian luxury accessories brand Giobagnara wowed visitors with an Elie Saab–curated collaboration. The sophisticated selection spans more than two dozen artisanally made designs dressed in fashion-forward accents, with standouts such as a chess set with Carrara and Marquina marble playing pieces, and a table lamp swathed in monogrammed leather.
On Rue Jacob, L’Objet previewed its soon-to-be-launched autumn-winter collection. Along with the botanical Fern series—which features eight hand-sculpted serving pieces—introductions include Médaille, a candle encased in porcelain decorated with 24-karat-gold-painted coins; and the Pentagon Spice Jewels, a set of faceted salt and pepper shakers adorned in semiprecious stones.
