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Between 27th and 31st March, the simultaneous staging of CASA PASARELA and 360interiorhome turned FERIA DE MADRID into the largest showcase for the interior design, home furnishings and decoration industry. This double meeting of the exclusive design sector took place for the first time this year, based on a desire to generate a strong sense of synergy and create a more attractive presentational framework for visitors.
The two fairs, which are both organised by IFEMA, welcomed some 20,230 visitors, thus reflecting the high levels of interest that these events arouse among various groups of professionals, such as distributors, opinion-leaders, project managers, designers, architects and interior designers, not to mention hotel owners, decoration shops, superstores and manufacturers, among other members of the industry.
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Out of the total number of visitors, almost 4% (nearly one thousand professionals) attended the fair from abroad. In this respect, we might mention the Foreign Buyers Programme that was organised and that brought together some 301 guests from 49 different countries. Large numbers of buyers attended the fair from the following countries: Portugal, Italy, Germany and France (from the European Union), Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania (from Eastern Europe), Argentina, Mexico, Dominican Republic and the USA (American Continent) and Saudi Arabia, the Lebanon and Kuwait (Near East).
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CASA PASARELA, which staged its fifth edition this year, featured the participation of 113 represented brands based on the participation of 92 direct exhibitors. This multi-sector showcase brought together all the leading companies from the world of home design. A number of innovative ideas from young designers were also presented throughout the course of the fair, along with others focusing on the theme of preserving the environment. These new features were exhibited by means of the following projects: Abecedario Designer´s Market, Low-Cost Design and Econciencia. |
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For its part, 360 interiorhome, which was staged for the first time, replacing the Madrid International Furniture Exhibition, represented a significant qualitative leap forward regarding the traditional presentation format for products and new features, offering visitors a comprehensive overview of the best styles and ideas based on the displays of some 116 direct exhibitors. |
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A Special Meeting Forum for the Contract Sector
The First International Contract Congress took place on 30th and 31st March, coinciding with the staging of the two fairs. This event was organised by UNEX (The Business Association for Promoting Home Design, Its Internationalisation and the Contract Sector), in collaboration with IFEMA. More than 450 Spanish and foreign professionals from the industry analysed the latest trends and factors relating to competitiveness. These participants tackled some interesting issues, such as access and consolidation strategies within the contract sector, encouraging participants to continue innovating in the face of the current economic downturn. Within this context, we might mention the more than 200 interviews that took place in the meetings area with opinion-leaders. These meetings were organised to enable companies to establish contacts and present themselves to a series of renowned international experts. |
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Madrid: Design Capital
These different events were complemented by the staging of ´Madrid DIseño SI´ International Design Week, between Friday 27th March and Thursday 2nd April. This event was organised by Diseño SI Promotores, in collaboration with DI_MAD (The Madrid Designers´ Association) and other professionals linked to this field. Alongside activities promoted by more than 300 establishments, including shops, hotels and restaurants throughout the city, graphic art exhibitions were staged in Plaza Colón, as were a series of fashion parades linked to the worlds of fashion and industrial design at Matadero de Madrid. These initiatives sought to boost the activities of creators and manufacturers within the fields of industrial design and the graphic arts, providing an opportunity and future tool for producing and selling their creations. |
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