Shoppe Object Makes Paris Debut, Plans Special Edition for Paris Fashion Week

PARIS — Aiming to inject fresh ideas into the vibrant Parisian design world, Shoppe Object founders, with the support of trade show partners WSN and ANDMORE, made its first international step here Saturday.

Staged within the Who’s Next trade show at Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles, the three-day event closed Monday.

Shoppe Object Paris’ first edition hosted a total of 80 selected brands, of which 50 percent were French. Of the remaining 50 percent, 12 percent hailed from the U.S., 11 percent from the U.K., 4 percent from Spain, 4 percent from Japan and 3 percent from South Korea.

Capsule Event at Matter and Shape

Shoppe Object Series founder and president Jesse James said organizers are planning a capsule event alongside Matter and Shape in March in the Tuileries Garden during Paris Fashion Week, highlighting a micro-curation alongside the design show and Premiere Classe. “These are like-minded events that echo our ethos, and a perfect match for the next expansion of the Shoppe Object series,” James told WWD.

Envisaged as a key design event to draw a diverse fashion crowd during the hustle of Paris Fashion Week, Matter and Shape is the brainchild of Matthieu Pinet, who launched it as an online design platform highlighting the intersection between fashion and design.

The next edition of Matter and Shape will run March 6 to 9 and will involve Ann Demeulemeester, Byredo, Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, and 17th-century Japanese textile house Hosoo and will feature a collaboration by filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and Austrian glass house Lobmeyr.

Expanding Shoppe Object

“As our first international expansion, Shoppe Object Paris reflects the spirit of community, discovery and fresh opportunity that inspired our launch in New York — one that continues to drive everything we do. A trade show should be enjoyable and inspiring on a human level, for visitors and exhibitors alike, while creating new business opportunities and deepening connections between brands and buyers,” James said. James is also ANDMORE’s senior vice president, creative, experience and innovation.

Fresh Design Ideas

Several brands present would normally show at Maison&Objet, taking place over the same weekend, but were eager to try out the new setting and capture cross-traffic from Who’s Next. The assortment, which ranged from lighting to tableware items, offered an array of items fit to enhance fashion boutiques and stores.

“It’s smaller and the client is different,” said Mariem Laouiti, head of development, marketing and organization at Chabi Chic, based in Marrakech, which offers contemporary interpretations of traditional handmade ceramics and is opening up wholesale after successful collaborations with department stores including Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché, Rinascente and El Corte Inglés. 

Gllu, offering lightweight solid wood picture rails crafted in Normandy, and Le Magasin Général, a Paris-based retailer and distributor of incense and paper goods, also took the leap to test out the new show. 

Switzerland-based entrepreneur Jamie Pelayo, the cofounder of Nature of Things, which recently sold to the founder of Hourglass, chose Shoppe Object as the launch platform for her new wellness brand Séance. The range combines goods including massage stones, fragranced products and high-end yoga equipment crafted from natural materials like cork and sheepskin. Launching in a few weeks and accompanied by a mindfulness app, Pelayo said response to the concept had been strong.

Elsewhere, established brands like Italian lighting-maker Flos and Italian tableware brand Serax were positioned alongside lesser-known, niche and up-and-coming names on the European trade show circuit.

U.S.-based Fredericks and Mae created a buzz with their color burst, pixelated cutting boards made from nontoxic, FDA-approved material and was a popular booth among buyers looking for fresh creativity, organizers commented.

Shoppe Object Paris was also a place to find emerging names like Pablo Sinan Akgül for his Koza chair made of walnut timber from the belly of the tree. The inner core, he explained, provides warmth and comfort and a smooth texture.

“Overall, my experience was very positive and provided a valuable opportunity to connect with a wide range of clients, shops, curators and architects,” said Akgül, who is based in Paris and grew up in both Madrid and Istanbul.

Alongside Sinan was Paris-based, Belgian designer Olivier Requier with his Fauda scaffolding shelving system made with aluminum tubes and glass.

Shoppe Object Paris will take place biannually at the Porte de Versailles Expo space in Paris. The next edition will take place Sept. 5 to 7.