Where else in the world can one acquire a Chagall, a chair by fashion-to-industrial designer Samuel Rossor a necklace dripping with diamonds in one place?
PAD London, the annual art and collectible design fair held each October in Berkeley Square, typically showcases historic, modern and contemporary design, furniture and decorative arts from leading international galleries. Held during Frieze London and Frieze Masters, it attracts some of the world’s most discerning collectors — and luxury players are taking notice.
-
MillerKnoll Appoints Jeff Stutz as CEO Amid a Challenging Macro
-
<a href="https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/mika-swarovski-kiko-milano-stabilo-collaborations-ceo-strategy-1239376973/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Mika, Swarovski and Kiko Milano: Stabilo Serves Up Trifecta of Collaborations as It Pivots Strategy
-
EXCLUSIVE: At Art Basel Paris, Louis Vuitton Pairs Artworks With the Bags They Inspired
Organizers of PAD (Pavilion of Art and Design) said this edition, which ran Tuesday to Sunday, brought forth 12 new exhibitors eager to tap into London’s vibrant collector scene, among them French fashion house Yves Salomon and jewelry firmBuccellati, in addition to the creations of Greek jewelry designer Nikos Koulis, thus broadening the dialogue between art and design and the fashion and luxury sectors. “These exhibitors are a natural fit for PAD, sharing with the world of design a common appreciation for creativity, materials and craftsmanship. Some fashion and jewelry pieces are true works of design in their own right,” according to a PAD spokesperson.
Luxury’s Affair With the Design World
Since the early 2000s, fashion has been keen to connect with the design world as a way to promote its business and diversify its loyal customer base. Milan Design Week, anchored by the Salone del Mobile.Milano trade show, has long been a hub for such interaction.
But a presence at niche, collectible design events can be a gateway to a unique clientele. According to organizers, PAD for example has proved its relevance as a cross-cultural and generational hub, with an influx of younger collectors, ages 30 to 45, as well as a rise in buyers from the Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong and Latin America.
At PAD London, luxury brands like Buccellati and Yves Salomon leveraged the fair as a platform to connect with affluent, design-savvy collectors, while at the same time aiming to showcase the same type of cultivated eclecticism, authenticity and connoisseurship exhibited by PAD’s established galleries.
The potential for engagement with new audiences was paramount for Buccellati, its chief executive officer Nicolas Luchsinger said.
