Press November 2014 Tokyo Big Sight Ayumi Kitajima Tel. +81 3 3512 3277 Fax +81 3 3262 8442 press@japan.messefrankfurt.com www.mesago-messefrankfurt.com www.ifft-interiorlifestyleliving.com/en/ IFFT-InteriorLIfestyleLiving-Opening14 s seventh edition starts today with record breaking exhibitor numbers Exhibited products include premium quality furniture from all over the world Six unique highlights including THE HOTEL are must-see sights starts today and runs to 28 November at Tokyo Big Sight West halls 1, 2 and the Atrium, and welcomes a record-breaking 391 exhibitors (Domestic: 326, Overseas: 65) 1 from 25 countries/regions. The show is unrivalled for offering a strong business platform by bringing together key players in the design and interior industries. Increasing its exhibition size and internationality this year, the show has become even more responsive to the market s needs through an extensive product line-up as well as special exhibits and a series of events. Products include premium quality furniture from around the world with a number of international brands taking part, including Neri & Hu's Utility series from Stellar Works / INTEROCEAN, and PLOUM, PRADO and OKA sofas (ligne rose) from Dream Bed Co. Ltd. Premium pieces from provincial areas in Japan such as Hida in Gifu prefecture and Asahikawa from Hokkaido also feature, representing high-quality manufacturing skills. All products at the fair will be showcased in zones categorised by lifestyle themes: HOME, KITCHEN LIFE, EVERYDAY, ACCENT, GLOBAL, MOVEMENT, JAPAN STYLE, CREATIVE RESOURCE, NEXT, TALENTS and the Atrium Highlight THE HOTEL. Six unique highlights at a glance In addition to the vast array of products a number of unique highlights contribute to the show s attraction. THE HOTEL Mesago Messe Frankfurt Corporation 7F Shosankan 1-3-2 Iidabashi Chiyodaku 102-0072 Tokyo Japan 1 2013 Results: 329 exhibitors from 12 countries/regions
Page 2 Situated at the entrance of the West hall, the special showcase at the Atrium is a hotspot for visitors to find market and design trends. The theme for the Atrium highlight is "THE HOTEL" and will offer ideas on various accommodation styles through a range of products and presentations. The entire area including the exhibitor booths is designed as a classic hotel that is renovated to a modern taste by Mitusko Kuroda, an Interior stylist/style director, and the designs are united under the theme colour blue. A styling area that will become a true inspiration for visual merchandisers and hotel owners is also featured here. The hotel industry has a lot of business potential while the construction and renovation of hotels are underway for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. In addition, hotels are not only about guest rooms but also their facilities which include cafes, restaurants, shops and spas. Another appealing point at THE HOTEL is the "Long long table" at the centre of the cafe area that comes with around 80 famous and iconic chairs sponsored by companies such as Maruni Wood Industry. Inc and designed by Naohito Fukazawa, Challenge chair from Conde House Co., Ltd. and U chair from Miyazaki Chair Factory Co., Ltd., to name a few. The cafe is run by FUGLEN, a Norwegian cafe that offers what is said to be the best coffee in the world by the New York Times. FUGLEN will also be exhibiting furniture designed by young Norwegian designers as NORWEGIAN ICONS at THE HOTEL. CREATIVE RESOURCE Responding to the expanding market for housing renovation, this highlight focuses on the vast potential of resources and materials for interior design and home remodelling, such as floor, wall and fixing materials as well as mastered skill sets and services for producing interior goods and housing construction. The concept director is Keiji Ashizawa, a young and established architect known for his simple yet edgy designs. There will also be a special collaborative showcase where products designed by three renowned architects, Keiji Ashizawa, Chikara Ono, and Jyo Nagasaka, are displayed, and which make use of LACOBEL, a design glass material manufactured
Page 3 by AGC Glass Products Co., Ltd. By presenting the versatility of resources, CREATIVE RESOURCE will become a source for manufacturers who are seeking ideas for material applications, and retailers looking for items that correspond to the increasing needs of remodelling and DIY experts. JAPAN STYLE JAPAN STYLE showcases a selection of sophisticated products that transcend the beauty of both traditional and modern Japanese design, and the history of the country s artisanal skill sets. Originally organised for Ambiente, it has recently been developed at this fair and the sister fair Interior Lifestyle Tokyo. This area reinforces the promotion of Japanese design, skills and culture. There will be demonstrations of artisanal skill sets to provide an interactive experience for visitors. (For the demonstration schedule please refer to the Official Fair guide) NEXT and TALENTS NEXT and TALENTS are zones for young, talented designers and entrepreneurs to obtain business opportunities through encounters with high-quality visitors. These two areas were also developed from Ambiente. NEXT provides young entrepreneurs with the opportunity to increase their business by discovering new partners and collaborative projects. TALENTS is a platform to match manufacturers with young designers to flourish in the market. Exhibitors in this area have a chance to be chosen for the YOUNG DESIGNERS AWARD, and will get a chance to exhibit at Ambiente 2015, where young talents are given the chance to make a leap forward overseas. The Vice President of Ambiente/Tendence, Nicolette Naumann will announce the award winner during the Ambiente 2015 press conference, held on the first day of the fair from 15.30 at the talk show stage in hall 1. HEIMTEXTIL THEME PARK Based on Heimtextil Trends 2015/2016, offers a preview of the new Trends Experience at Heimtextil Theme Park. This showcase at is directed by
Page 4 Dan Namura of the design firm Dan Project, one of the members of Creative Direction and also a member of the Trendtable Contributors at Heimtextil. This instalment will enable the visitors to interactively experience the coming trends. LIFESTYLE SALON 2014 LIFESTYLE SALON 2014 welcomes experts to hold seminars categorised into three different topics: Atrium (THE HOTEL), Trend and Business. This year there will be two slots by Sebastian Herkner, a leading ing German designer to talk about the front-line of product designing. For programme details and other updates, please visit the official website: www.ifft-interiorlifestyleliving.com/en/top.php With the exception of the talk show by Sebastian Herkner and the Ambiente 2015 Press Conference, all the programmes will be held in Japanese without translation. About The first took place in 2008, combining IFFT (International Furniture Fair Tokyo) with the concept of Interior Lifestyle Tokyo, and becoming the leading trade fair for the Japanese high-end interior market. This fair is a sister fair of Interior Lifestyle Tokyo held in June, which is based on Messe Frankfurt s largest international consumer foods fair Ambiente and the international textile fair Heimtextil. The show has increased its presence by constantly offering multifaceted lifestyle ideas and has been producing an unrivalled business platform. For information on all Messe Frankfurt textile fairs worldwide, please visit: http://texpertise.messefrankfurt.com. For information on all Messe Frankfurt consumer goods fairs worldwide, please visit: http://ambiente.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/en/ Background information on Messe Frankfurt Messe Frankfurt is one of the world s leading trade fair organisers, generating around 545 million in sales and employing some 2,000 people worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt
Page 5 Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and around 50 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in more than 150 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2013, Messe Frankfurt organised a total of 113 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany. Comprising an area of 578,000 square metres, Messe Frankfurt s exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centres. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. For more information, please visit our website at www.messefrankfurt.com.