MoOD
Meet only the Original Design!
Following thirty years of Decosit Brüssel, the development of MoOD – Meet only Original Design – states a new challenge. In 2008, the decision was taken to rename the trade-show. The rebranding meant a strategically new positioning of the fair as a consequence of a continuous gradual development. This was not a mere marketing manoeuvre, but stands for the fundamentally repositioning of the trade-show: the product categories displayed will be extended beyond decorative and upholstery fabrics, and will include in future window and wall decoration in general. And the the suppliers need to own their products as originals. Whoever is searching for high-end products of superbly innovational technical standards should place the MoOD trade show high up in the list. MoOD 2010 will be held for three days from Tuesday, 14.09. to Thursday, 16.09. at Brussels Expo.
09 Flemish Masters ©MoOD Microfibres Drisag Office Furniture
At the roots of the changes stand the exhibitors themselves who react on the diverse requirements of the markets. The rebranding took place under the current difficult economical developments. Between October 2008 and April 2009, the trade-show bravely made head against the crisis. Nevertheless, the Textirama organization seems to be satisfied with the results. Responding to the aims, four halls with nearly 300 exhibitors had been filled. The trade – show has become smaller, but Patrick Geysels, the general manager, explains to have undertaken this measure as a very conscientious decision.
According to Patrick Geysels, the concept of MoOD is standing on the following pillars, which have been finally accepted by all participants:
- The suppliers must be by 100% the owners of the designs or they need to be producers.
- The product range must fit upholstery, window and wall coverings.
- MoOD is open to contractors as well as to the private home furnishing sector
- Show days will be reduced to three from Tuesdays to Thursdays
In the future, there should be more high-end window and wall coverings including innovational products. More accents are to be put on the outdoor and contract markets. Patrick Geysels sees MoOD 2010 as a transitional year after the restart and considers the trade-show with its new identity to be definitively established in 2011.
Figures and Numbers…
To its first edition 2009 MoOD presented 290 exhibitors from thirty countries; the parallel events Indigo and Expofil added 87 and 15 exhibitors each. While MoOD is axed on upholstery fabrics, window and wall coverings, Indigo displays design presentations for home and house textiles, upholstery fabrics and wall papers. Expofil shows threads and fibres for home and house textiles. On a net surface of 15,800 m² there were 55 Belgian and 235 International exhibitors. 8,350 visitors arrived; 7,150 Internationals and 1,200 Belgians: manufacturers, industry designers, interior architects, fabric and wallpaper editors, wholesalers, interior designers and decorators.
Show-Case Of Research: The Innovation Platform
Created on the pillars of former Decotec, the sample-bank is one of the most significant segments of MoOD, providing information about the very new products on the market. On several row settings, textile and non textile samples are displayed showing an enormous variety of technical developments, new materials and innovative components. As always it is not easy to assess the economical importance of these innovations, however MoOD provides a stunning basis to explore sophisticated technical developments in textiles for the home. The visitor is asked to study, touch and feel the items. Thus creation and innovation are no mere slogans but palpable indeed.
Along the sample-banks, there are more projects geared towards innovation and creativity: There is the Young Belgian Creativity – event, which is based on a cooperation platform among students of the La Cambre Brussels Academy, the University of Gent and diverse manufacturing companies. A year long, they work on a chosen project and display the results at MoOD.
09 Innovation Platform ©MoOD
Another new project is the Blue Drop label and Blue Drops.
Blue Drop: The Best Products Have Been Given a Name!
The Blue Drop label is meant to draw the attention to the best upholstery, window and wall covering products presented at the trade-show. The award details are published on the web, too, at moodbrussels.com, before, during and after the fair, making sure the Blue Drops are displayed broadly and the manufacturers of the awarded items can be easily contacted. Patrick Geysels sees the Blue Drops not only as a promoter to the sectors, but defines themselves as a new quality label in the future to the products of economical relevance.
Blue Drop for Best Products
An international panel of experts selects the best products for upholstery, window coverings and wall coverings. Not only are the ‘nicest’ products selected. Economical relevance, innovation, ecology and of course stylishness play a role. The selection is made from the products submitted for the sample banks. They receive a ‘Blue Drop‘.
Flemish Masters: A Cooperation Platform Between MoOD, Optimo and Fedustria
A highly interesting new project is formed by Flemish Masters. They display prototypes and products, resulting from a cooperation of designers, and manufacturers of upholstery, window decoration, fabrics and other products. This cooperation was initiated and safeguarded by Optimo, innovation platform of the Belgian textile, furniture and woodworking industries, Fedustria, the Belgian association for Textiles, Furniture and Woodworking Industries, and MoOD.
Five partnerships have been formed between a textile manufacturer and a furniture producer to develop jointly a product. In one of these five projects, a radiator manufacturer has joined in, too. All the teams worked with a designer from the Flemish Masters think tank.
One example is the Folium©, which is a supporting structure system, to be used in beds, chairs, outdoor furniture, etc. The technology is based on the composition of leafs, where the soft surface is reinforced by a rigid structure (see image Folium©). The cover can be produced in a non-stop production process, which is cheaper and less complex thus reducing the ecological footprint. Despite the high degree of innovation, it can be applied for everyday products. In the picture, a bed base was developed, which in its simplicity surpasses traditional bed manufacturing. Both the applied technology and the prototype were developed by Veldeman Bedding, the textile manufacturer Nelen & Delbeke, coordinated by think tank member Maxime Szyf.
09 Flemish Masters ©MoOD Detail Folium
Base: Living XL Special Edition 1/2010
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