Bigger, Better, Bolder: The Return of FIND – Design Fair Asia

The highly anticipated FIND – Design Fair Asia 2023 is fast approaching, much to the delight of all in the design sphere and beyond.

After a hugely successful inaugural edition last year, FIND – Design Fair Asia, the key marketplace for furniture, interiors and design, returns to Singapore Design Week on the 21st till the 23rd of September 2023 at Marina Bay Sands. Over 15,000 visitors, 350 international brands, 50 international speakers during the Global Summit and an array of young emerging talent showcases are expected at the upcoming event, held over 18,000 sqm of exhibition space.

Just a quick run-through, FIND – Design Fair Asia is a joint venture between dmg events and Fiera Milano (host of Salone del Mobile). It is also an anchor event of Singapore Design Week – one of Asia’s premier design festivals – organised by DesignSingapore Council with the support of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Ergo, FIND acts as a stimulating marketplace connecting leading suppliers across furniture, lighting, décor, textiles, design technology, home K&B and surface materials with Asia’s burgeoning retail buyers, residential and commercial property developers, architects, hospitality professionals, interior designers, high-net-worth individuals and Asia-based FF&E contractors.

Asian markets have proven to be more resilient in the aftermath of Covid-19, and the growing demand for high-end and bespoke design within the construction, hospitality, commercial or residential sector is a testament to this. The design market shows enormous promise for global furniture brands, with Southeast Asia alone projecting a growth of 8.35% (2023-2027) to US$248.9 billion in this sector by 2027 alone. In conjunction with rebounding travel demand, investment in Asia Pacific hotels rose to US$10.1 billion year-to-date and some 800 new hotels are expected to open by 2024 in Asia Pacific.

“As projects and travel in the region are significantly upscaling, the confidence for the industry is growing. Likewise, the hospitality and retail industry is moving into a new era, catering to the next generation of consumers, with smarter supply chains, integration into local cultures, and addressing sustainability needs whilst going through a technological evolution. Design brands understand this, and we want to help suppliers to capitalise on Asia’s markets as we believe the positioning of FIND as a regional business platform is very compelling,” says Carl Press, Director of FIND -Design Fair Asia, dmg events.

Therefore, FIND is expanding its business matchmaking services through a regional hosted buyer program and value-driven networking initiatives for business visitors. This is supported by strong partnerships with key industry bodies including the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS), Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), Singapore Retail Association (SRA), Asia Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA), Vietnam Design Association (VDAS) and several leading regional industry groups.

FIND – Global Summit

The FIND – Global Summit, curated by Yoko Choy, China editor of Wallpaper* Magazine and Chair of Content for FIND – Design Fair Asia, in conjunction with a panel of leading industry insiders, brings together thought leaders, renowned craftspeople and the creative community to discuss the exciting developments driving the industry today.

Over three days, across dozens of sessions, the summit will present insightful seminars, including inspirational masterclasses by Italian interiors and contemporary design magazine INTERNI, along with sessions from leading property developers, regional architects, hospitality professionals and change-making practitioners. It will be focused on five pillars reflecting the issues of most concern to the design community today, including regenerative design, the Asian blueprint, the innovation era, creativity, commerce and communication and holistic hospitality with more details to be released in due time.

“With the resumption of traffic between the East and the West, it’s time to set our sights on the future. Following the resounding success of the inaugural FIND – Global Summit in 2022, our goal this year is to further establish Singapore as a hub for innovative and future-proof solutions in the creative industry. By collaborating closely with our local and regional partners, as well as creatives from diverse disciplines worldwide, including established figures and emerging talents, the summit will foster meaningful conversations around the pressing issues we currently face in the industry,” expresses Yoko.

Made in Italy for Asia

Fiera Milano in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency which supports the promotion abroad and the internationalisation of Italian companies will once again organise a collective participation of Italian companies at FIND – Design Fair Asia 2023. The uniqueness of ‘Made in Italy’ designs will be showcased at the “The Italian Design Futures Capsule”. The multidisciplinary studio Stefano Boeri Interiors together with architect Giorgio Donà has planned an area entirely dedicated to over 30 leading Italian companies, demonstrating the creativity, excellence and craftsmanship that Italy is known for.

New to FIND 2023 is an exciting collaboration between the Italian Embassy in Singapore with the support of ICE and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will host the unique installation ‘Italia Geniale’, a collection created by Association for Industrial Design (ADI). The famous exhibition will showcase the most significant materials, objects and artefacts of Italian design icons that speak of imagination, work, well-being and relationships between people.

EMERGE @ FIND

The Southeast Asian design talent showcase will return after its successful debut last year. Presented by DesignSingaporeCouncil, the second edition features the curatorial theme of “CRAFT + INDUSTRY: MAN + MACHINE” to showcase the spectrum of work produced across Southeast Asia, from the handmade and the crafted, to pure industrial and/or mass production, from over 50 emerging and established designers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

“DesignSingapore Council is pleased to present the second edition of the Southeast Asian design talent showcase at EMERGE @ FIND. There is no other festival besides Singapore Design Week that uncovers the rich diversity of talent from this emerging region; and we look forward to showing the global design community why they are a rising force in the design world,” says Dawn Lim, executive director of DesignSingapore Council.

To give more prominence to Singapore’s furniture, lighting, decoration, design, fine crafts and lifestyle showrooms, FIND – Design Fair Asia will also feature an array of partner activations, expanding on the show’s purpose of curating a platform for business, exchange and discovery.

Do remember to mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details coming soon.