Review of International furniture and interiors fair of cologne 2011

Imm cologne 2011 (internationale möbelmesse) is often noted as a place where big brands show new finishes for existing pieces or reissue past classics, rather than unveil new collections, its primary focus is contemporary furniture and interior design.

Imm cologne is the world’s leading platform for new ideas, for innovations and trends and for young, creative, new design. This is where business momentum for the entire industry is generated and trending topics for the coming months take shape.

Innovation and trends will be presented not just at the exhibitors’ stands but also showcased at a series of exciting and inspiring events. One of the most spectacular is sure to be “Das Haus – Interiors on Stage”, in which life in the house of the future is imagined, designed and realised by a renowned international designer.

Imm provides comprehensive, concise and clearly structured overview of the international world of interior design. From living rooms to bathrooms, from entry-level to high-end. With these changes, exhibitors will be able to generate high-quality contacts among their target groups and inform visitors efficiently.

Cologne is also an opportunity to present new tools dedicated to retail entrepreneurs, including the new retail gallery concept, an innovative in-store communicationand the 3D configurator. The new retail concept is one of the cornerstones of the Partnership Program Editions and focuses on the modularity of the exhibition, which allows you to adapt the format to the real needs of space and business.

The emerging trends and conceptual developments showcased here have a palpable influence on the design market across the world. imm cologne is increasingly establishing itself as an international platform for both business and cutting-edge design – a rare and highly attractive combination that is set to be highly influential in the long run.

Exhibitors will be offered the opportunity for product and market tests on the final consumer. The imm cologne is considered as an indispensable communication forum, an important impetus driver and creative center of ideas. Anyone who exhibits here reaches the decision-makers of the global furniture scene.

Highlights
The first furniture fair of the year, IMM Cologne This year is a turning point, with a wealth of new products on display within the fair’s many halls. IMM Cologne 2011 was the combinations sofa and leather cantilever dining chairs on show, there were also some wonderful young designers on show and one or two brave producers with genuinely interesting, innovative and aesthetically coherent product ranges.

As with all furniture trade fairs IMM annually gives part of the floor space over to young, up and coming, designers. In three themed sections “d3 Design Talents” offers space for design colleges – d3 Schools – those further on the way to establishing themselves – d3 Professionals – and a competition – d3 Contest.

With d3 Design Talents IMM have a nice concept, d3 Professionals showed what a wonderful range and depth of design talent have to offer. Young designers who are prepared to invest time and money in establishing themselves and their ideas in a very competitive global market.

A standout in this year’s new ’Living Kitchen’ section was Matteo Thun’s collaboration with Milanese brand, Riva 1920, and American Hardwood. His ’La Cucina’ installation deliberately harked back to a time before gadgets and mechanisation, when simpler kitchens centred around conviviality. Surrounding the central cooking tripod was a series of units, also constructed by Thun, using wood reclaimed from his ’Beacons’ installation at last year’s Salone del Mobile.

Elsewhere in the fair, the Design Talents show proved a big draw, with highlights including Laetitia Florin’s rubberised ’Bidum’ storage containers and Emilie Colin Garros’ ’Functional Rhythm’ table. Making a feature out of metal framework proved a persistent trend, as shown by designers like Linn Kandel and Schwab/Panther.

Ligne Roset’s contribution to the fair is also always a highlight. This year it unveiled new additions to its Ruché collection by Inga Sempé, and a ’Simplissimo’ range of seating, including a banquette and chaise longue, by Jean Nouvel, which may look firm but are actually surprisingly comfortable.

Event
With a lot of talk of this year’s imm cologne regaining much of its former glory, Architonic was on the ground at the international design fair, scouting for the best new products and talking to the some of the industry’s key movers and shakers.

Exhibition Hall
Koelnmesse – Global Competence in Furniture, Interiors and Design: Koelnmesse is the world’s top trade fair organiser for the areas of furnishing, living and lifestyle. At the trade fair hub of Cologne, the leading international fair imm cologne as well as the trade fair formats of LivingKitchen, ORGATEC, spoga+gafa, interzum and Kind + Jugend rank among the internationally renowned and established industry meeting places. These fairs comprehensively represent the upholstered and case furniture segment, the kitchen industry, the office furniture sector and outdoor living as well as the innovations of the furniture supply industry.

Over the last few years, Koelnmesse has specifically added international fairs in the most important fastexpanding markets to its portfolio. These include idd Shanghai, interzum guangzhou in Guangzhou and Pueri Expo in Sao Paulo. With ambista, the online portal for the interiors business, Koelnmesse offers direct access to products, contacts, expertise and events relevant to the industry all year round.