Index 2009 Highlights

Exhibitor news

Index 2009 will provide a platform for companies from across the globe to showcase their services and products. Some of the companies to have confirmed their attendance are Alpha Crystal Lighting, Villeroy & Boch, Longhi, Rexite, Porada, Andreu World and Colleccion Alexandra.

A highlight of this year’s show is a collaboration of some of the most prestigious international design brands under the banner Disegno. Disegno was formed by a joint venture between three Dubai-based companies, RS Arabia, Duram and Kart Furniture, with the aim of showcasing a number of top-end interior design companies. These include Paola Lenti, Flou, Kartell, Serralunga, Zanotta, Bernini and Haute Material.

In addition, Createlab, a specialist in the research, development and design of decorative water-based paints and finishes for walls and glass surfaces, will be hosting a live art show on the Disegno stand.

“We are showcasing the best of the best to our visitors and Disegno offers a taste of some of the top international design brands, brought together in what will be a unique and visually-stunning stand. It is yet another reason why anyone involved in the interiors industry cannot afford to miss Index this year,” Lu Buchanan, exhibition director, Index, said.

Design Talks

A key aspect of Index’s new direction is the provision of more content for visitors. But instead of a traditional, paid-for, formal conference programme, Index will host more informal, seminar-style, practical events. “There are going to be lots of interesting, interactive things going on.

“Visitors are going to see innovation; they are going to see variation. It’s going to be buzzing, and a fantastic networking event,” Buchanan commented.

High-profile speakers include Victoria Redshaw of Scarlet Opus, who will be speaking about trend forecasting. Claude Barube, head of interior design at the Directorate of Public Works in Sharjah, will focus on nanotechnology, and Chuck Wood, managing director of the Rockwell Group Middle East, will be sharing his extensive experience of working on high-profile projects in the region.

Marcus Fairs, the journalist behind design website Dezeen, will talk about the hottest trends emerging from avant-garde designers this year, and Tomita Kazuhiko, a key designer for Moroso, will discuss his experiences, design from his perspective, and the importance of keeping traditional materials and design techniques alive.

Fred Berns, one of the only sales and marketing speakers to train design professionals worldwide on how to substantially increase sales and profits, will present seven simple strategies to help interior designers substantially increase their sales in the current economy, earn the income that they deserve and secure bigger projects from better clients.

Brendon O’Shea of Ventures ME will be presenting the results of an extensive market research report commissioned by dmg world media, while Johannes C.F. Holtzhauzen, CEO Waitrose MENA, and Michael Kent, founding partner of Kinnersley Kent Design, will host a seminar on Adapting a quintessentially English brand to flourish in the Middle Eastern market – a Waitrose case study, from design to completion.

Meanwhile, Daniel Holguin, a former architect with The Rockwell Group, and his partner Victoria Simes, of Multiplicities, will run a live design competition on the Index show floor. Working with local universities, Holguin and Simes will encourage students to create a range of design objects out of unusual materials.

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Where: Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE
When: November 14 to 17 2009
Opening times:
Saturday November 14: 11.00am to 7.00pm
Sunday November 15: 11.00am to 7.00pm
Monday November 16: 11.00am to 9.00pm
Tuesday November 17: 11.00am to 6.00pm

THE VIP BUSINESS MATCH-MAKING PROGRAMME:

This new programme will match top interior designers, specifiers and buyers with relevant exhibitors. VIPs will receive a number of benefits, including fast-track entry, access to a VIP lounge and a pre-planned tour of the exhibitors they have been matched with.

Majilis Competition

Four leading interior design companies have been selected to design and build their version of the contemporary majilis, using products only available at the show. All four designs will be built and showcased at Index, with the best being selected and awarded by a panel of industry leaders. The four participating companies are Etcetera Living, Zain Mustafa, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) and KEO International.

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