Downtown Design, the commercial centrepiece of Dubai Design Week and the fast-growing design trade show, announces the final exhibitor list for 2015.

Downtown Design 2015 is set to be the largest and most diverse, with double the number of exhibitors as last year, some 90 exhibitors from 24 different countries. The exhibitor list is now closed for this year’s edition of Downtown Design with demand exceeding space within the fair.  

“We are very happy to be welcoming back a large number of brands that exhibited last year, and creating new relationships with those brands keen to make a first foothold in the regional market, to connect with key buyers and to be part of the burgeoning local design scene. As a B2B platform, we want to offer all our exhibitors an opportunity to showcase new products in a curated environment, surrounded by the best names in design, both established and emerging from around the region and beyond.”

After a successful fair last year, locally established brands including Axor and Lasvit will return, along with distributors like Nakkash Gallery, who are well established in Dubai and this year will bring furniture from Ginger and Jagger and Munna. Exciting new additions to the roster of brands include Kartell, Moroso, Hacker, Lema, The Rug Company and Georg Jensen; they will present pieces selected to suit the regional lifestyle and taste.

Downtown Design is positioned as a fair of discovery; visitors can expect to see brands and designers creating exclusive, never–before-seen pieces including regional exhibitor Etqaan who is working with local design duo, the talented Abu Dhabi-based designers Fouad Mirza and Ritchie Nolasco, to create contemporary expressions of their traditional Egyptian marquetry furniture.

 “This is going to be our first participation Downtown Design,” says Tamer Zaki, Managing Partner. “We believe that this event is the perfect hub to reveal our new art deco collection. Dubai is becoming one of the most important trend setting markets now in the region, as well as the global market. The environment is becoming extremely competitive and challenging, which allows only very creative minds, exclusive designs and art to grow and continue setting new trends for generations to come.”   

Ediciones Jalapa of Mexico Design Festival ‘Abierto Mexicano de Diseño’ will present a new collection of furniture made from palm leaves – a material specially chosen to resonate with the region and, Ben-Tovim Design of Melbourne International Design Week, who will reveal a unique furniture piece designed exclusively for the local market. These brands being presented under Dubai Design Week’s initiative ‘Destination’:  18 emerging brands from 6 international design weeks will represent the culture, aesthetics and spirit of their region. These 18 emerging brands will add more colour, diversity and inspiration for visitors to this year’s fair.

Downtown Design is increasingly becoming a focal point in the design calendar that attracts active professionals from around the world. With the pace of development in the region, and so many brands looking to enter the market, Downtown Design provides a crucial platform to meet key players in the industry and grow their business; a newly-launched dedicated buyers programme adds a further incentive to advance registration.  Carla Conte, Creative Director of Brand Creative says, “Some of our favourite brands such as Bolon, Made a Mano and Christopher Boots (all of which have been specified in our recent projects) will be exhibiting.  Clients expect the best from us and in turn we demand the best from our suppliers.  Downtown Design is now considered a valuable tool in the overall process, and each year it develops new ways of being inspiring and resourceful to us.”

Marie Laurent Wilfred, Director/Architect- Marie Laurent Architecture agrees: “Downtown Design and the Dubai Design Week present the perfect platform for an architecture and interior design boutique atelier like ours, as it gives added value to our bespoke projects. Downtown Design will showcase creative design brands that suit our approach to design. Downtown Design has become a prominent and promising platform for architects and designers in the region with a clear strive for designs to be bolder, bigger and better. A show like Downtown Design is essential to gather new ideas, craftsmanship, and quality as well as to present new talents to the region.”

With the growth of Downtown Design, along with the establishment of Dubai Design District (d3) where the fair will be held as part of the first Dubai Design Week, Dubai is the only place to be for industry and design enthusiasts alike in the last week of October.

List of exhibitors

Furniture including outdoor
Aati

Ediciones Jalapa
Escapefromsofa
Ginger & Jagger
Aati
Decoussemaecker
Etqaan

Fendi Casa
Galanter & Jones
Halit Berker
Italian Luxury Interiors
Kartell
Latvia Pavilion
Lema

Minotti
Moroso
Munna
Nikari
Rolf Benz
Serralunga

Smarin
Ville Venete
Walter Knoll
ZaoZuo

Objects/Accessories
BenWu Studio
Capsule Arts
Antidote
Council Design
Day Studio
Eco Smart Fire
Georg Jensen
Gufram
IBDAA
LCMX
Muubs
Nakkash Gallery
NEO
Planika
Smarin
Tributo
Vin de Garde

Art/decoration

Lalique
Lladro

Taschen

TDesign

White Almonds

Table/kitchen

Christofle

Hacker

Zip Industries
Elica
Gaggenau

Arclinea

Bathroom

Antonio Lupi

Hansgrohe
Grohe
Kohler
THG Paris

Textiles/Carpets
Illulian
Iwan Maktabi
Johanna Gullichsen
Kvadrat
Samovar Carpets
The Rug Company

Lighting

Ben-Tovim Design

Christopher Boots

Andre Hnatojko
Brokis
EOQ
Hello Lumio
Lasvit
Preciosa
Saas Instruments

Workplace
Envoy ME
Herman Miller
Wilkhahn

USM

Design + Build
Akros
Bolon
Chabros
Essenza
Hakwood
Jotun
Studio M

Kens & Co

Click here for the full exhibitor list. For more information on Downtown Design, please visit http://www.downtowndesign.com/

-Ends-

@downtowndesignd | @dubaidesignweek

#DXBDW | #DXBDW2015 | #DowntownDesign2015

For press enquiries, please contact:

Ciara Phillips, Tel: +971 (0)5 5650 7431 | [email protected]

Key facts:

• The fair celebrates its 3rd edition this October
• Downtown Design has doubled in size from last year to 6000 square metres
• It will take place for the 1st time at the Dubai Design District
• The fair is the largest element of the inaugural Dubai Design Week
• There will be 90 exhibitors this year across 15 product categories and from 24 countries
• The far will host emerging design brands from 6 international Design Weeks
• From 27^th to 30^th October 2015

ABOUT DOWNTOWN DESIGN

Downtown Design is the only platform in the Middle East for the region’s trade professionals to discover original, high quality design from all over the world. In its third edition, the Fair will take place at the Dubai Design District and present a carefully edited roster of established and emerging brands across a variety of product categories; including furniture, lighting, bathrooms, kitchens, textiles and accessories. Fostering greater interaction, connectivity and commercial opportunity, Downtown Design is dedicated to providing a dynamic environment for buyers and brands to do business easily and efficiently. Downtown Design will run from October 27^th to 30^th as part of Dubai Design Week and will be held at Dubai Design District, d3.

Dates & Opening times

27th October
15:00 – 18:00   VIP Preview (invitation only)
18:00 – 21:00   Trade and Public visitors

28th October
13:30 – 18:00   Trade visitors
18:00 – 21:00   Public visitors

29th October
13:30 – 18:00   Trade visitors
18:00 – 21:00   Public visitors

30th October
13:30 – 21:00   Trade and public visitors

Location

Dubai Design District – d3

www.downtowndesign.com

ABOUT DUBAI DESIGN WEEK

The inaugural Dubai Design Week, held in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), will take place from 26 – 31 October, 2015.

Held under the Patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-Chairman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, the Design Week is also supported by both the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA), and the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC).

Creating a point of time that encourages the growth of the design industry in Dubai, Dubai Design Week will not only establish the city as the regional capital for design, but also as a global meeting point for the international design community. Design-dedicated events, activities and projects within d3 and across the city will celebrate the best in design both regionally and internationally.

Dubai Design Week is owned and managed by the Art Dubai Group, a joint venture company between the Dubai International Financial Centre and Middle East Fairs Ltd.

www.dubaidesignweek.ae @dubaidesignweek #DXBDW

ABOUT DUBAI DESIGN DISTRICT

Dubai Design District, better known as d3, is dedicated to fostering the growth of the Emirate’s design, fashion, art, and luxury industry. It offers businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals a creative community that will be at the very heart of the region’s design scene. Phase 1 is delivered throughout 2015, which, once complete, will host over 10,000 creatives. Currently 4 buildings have been handed over and business partners have already moved in. d3 is a purpose built environment catering to the full value chain of the design, fashion and luxury industry – and all with the vision of creating a world class creative community that engages, nurtures and promotes local, regional and global design talent.

www.dubaidesigndistrict.com