A Confluence of Chinese Talent and Global Creativity Shine at Design Shanghai 2024
)
Celebrating Chinese Talent and Design
Placing a global spotlight on emerging and established Chinese designers, Design Shanghai has contributed to the unprecedented growth of numerous Chinese designers, many of whom have become pillars of contemporary design in China.
Above: GID, PRECIOUS HOME (Hall 1)
This year’s show continued to highlight the advancement of Chinese design and craftsmanship, with more domestic brands emerging in Design Shanghai, showing the continuous rise of China as a global powerhouse in design. Exhibitor highlights include Frank Chou Collection, from the namesake acclaimed designer who also curated the TALENTS Feature; U+, one of China’s most popular furnishings brands, which has always been committed to the design, development and manufacture of contemporary Chinese furniture; and home furnishings brand GID, which presented ‘Precious Home’, a curation of personalised and artistic pieces.
Brand and Collection Debuts at Design Shanghai
From globally renowned to independent design practices, each recognises the global impact and authoritative voice Design Shanghai holds in the design and architecture space and selects the show as a platform to launch their collections and cutting-edge designs.
Above: WHYGARDEN (Hall 1)
Unveiled in Asia for the first time this year, WHYGARDEN is the brainchild of acclaimed Chinese designer Meng Ye. Collections on display were inspired by the theme “AIR FLOW”, celebrating the revival of life, and its awakening with the breath of nature.
Above: GUBI, Bagdad (Hall 1)
Danish furniture brand GUBI, based on Mathieu Matégot’s classic design, showcases the new upgraded version of the BAGDAD portable lamp, a retro design and sculptural signature piece that brings depth and character into a space. Introducing another new launch to the show, the Multi-Lite Portable Lamp by Louis Weisdorf represents the ‘golden era’ of Danish design, featuring two adaptable, characterful shades that instantly become the focal point of any room.
Above: HC28 (Hall 1)
HC28 is an innovative design brand that creates high-end furniture, dedicated to looking at design through a cross-cultural lens. In collaboration with HC28, Hanne Willmann presented two new collections at Design Shanghai this year: ORIGAMI (pictured above) a Japanese-inspired collection led with a minimalist design ethos; and COLOS, a furnishing range that draws inspiration from historic columns, featuring flowing and delicate silhouettes.
Above: (L) Stellar Works (Hall 1), ® Sandriver (Hall 3)
Uniting the East and West, Stellar Works crafts timeless furniture that blends tradition with innovation. Over the past 10 years, Stellar Works has experienced exponential international growth, transitioning from commercial to consumer audiences, all while consistently delivering some of the world's most iconic bespoke hospitality projects. Showcased above is the Swivel Bar Chair from the Mr. B Collection. Founded in 2012, Sandriver is the creation of Chinese designer Juliet Guo, who is passionate about sustainable development, traditional handicrafts of nomadic cultures, and innovative cashmere products. Using raw materials from her family-owned steppe in Inner Mongolia, she works with many craftsmen in the workshops in Shanghai and on the Tibetan plateau to create cashmere products of excellent quality. This year’s show saw Sandriver unveil a beautiful range of cashmere and felt products.
International Talent
Due to its popularity in 2023, this year, Hall 3 expanded and upgraded with many European fragrance and accessory brands heading to Shanghai to unveil their latest collections. In Hall 3, Visitors saw collections from Belgian high-end luxury home fragrance BAOBAB, Italian fragrance design brand Dr.Vranjes, Danish home accessories brand Reflections Copenhagen, Italian national treasure blown glass lighting and accessories brand Venini, British porcelain brand Wedgwood, German porcelain pioneer Meissen, Hungarian national treasure porcelain Herend, as well as Turkish glassware Nude.
Above: Reflections Copenhagen (Hall 3)
Assembling the very best furniture and lighting design brands from across the globe, Hall 1 showcased a roster of renowned, international brands, including Italian furniture brand EMU, French Lalique known as the "Sculptor of Light", Italian lamps and decoration brand Icone Luce, outdoor furniture Ethimo, furniture and lighting brand Gervasoni, innovative Italian lighting Masiero, Italian furniture brand Monography, and Japanese furniture brand Karimoku.
Above: Monography (Hall 1)
Above: (L) LAUFEN , (R) Villeroy & Boch (Hall 2)
Kitchen and Bathroom Design Hall 2, showcased high-end bathroom and cabinet brands from the likes of Poggenpohl，Siematic，Leicht，Laufen，Villeroy&Boch，ASKO， Liebherr，and Porcelanosa. The innovative application of materials has always been one of the core topics in the design field and in Hall 4, the latest materials and application solutions were displayed from many international brands including Italian leader in wood dyeing TABU, the world’s leading synthetic fibre manufacturer Aquafil, and international lighting group L&S Lamps.