100% Design to be most international yet

The travel disruption caused by the cloud during the Milan furniture fair ’means that a lot of people have been quite keen to take part in 100% Design and show what they are doing in London instead this year’, says Massey.

The event, to be held in September, is likely to feature a record ten international pavilions, including first-time exhibitors Italy, Austria, Argentina, and possibly Portugal and Latvia, as well as previous participants the Czech Republic, France, South Korea, Belgium, Norway and Spain.

The Italian pavilion will receive star positioning at the entrance to the exhibition in Earls Court Two. A second Italian pavilion called Centro Estero Piemonte will showcase the work of designers from the Piedmont region. A special delegation of 35 architects, developers and designers from Brazil, Russia, China and India will attend the show.

For the first time this year, 100% Design is running an international VIP programme, inviting up to 300 ’top retailers, interior designers and architects’ to London and ’really looking after them at the show’, according to Massey. Their number will include about 50 UK-based retailers.

’They need to get access to those pieces that can really differentiate their shop,’ he says. ’This year we are focusing on business, although inspiration is still very important,’ adds Massey. The exhibition is launching new branding (pictured) by Into The Woods, featuring bungee ropes pulling at the 100% Design logo and the tagline ’stretch your space’.

Appearing on all print and digital materials, the branding will also be rendered in three dimensions at the show’s central bar and restaurant pavilion. ’Our core audience is architects and interior designers, and they are all having to sharpen their pencils and be aware of new products and trends, so the thinking behind the branding is that we want 100% Design to help them to do that stretching,’ says Massey.

A new online diary and social networking feature called 100% Connect will allow visitors to get in touch with and arrange to meet exhibitors and other visitors both in the build-up to the show and during the exhibition. 100% Materials is expanding this year, featuring about 50 exhibitors.

Chris Lefteri is once again curating its central installation, a materials library that features aircraft, marine and packaging materials. He is also devising a materials workshop programme that will include ’famous designers smashing products to see what they are made of’, says Massey.

100% Design takes place at Earls Court from 23-26 September