A Middle Eastern exhibition

[More Images]

RELATED ARTICLES: Index to feature new kitchens and bathroom zone | Index Focus | Index 2009 Highlights

With a new steering committee and a host of new initiatives in place, Index is eager to ensure that it is in tune with the region’s interior design industry.

“We’ve set up a new steering committee this year, following on from the one we had last year, to try and get some alternative views on what the market wants,” explained Lu Buchanan, show director of Index, which is taking place from November 8 to 11 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The challenge is to transform what is often perceived as a furniture fair into an all-out design extravaganza. “We are trying very hard not to be arrogant,” she said.

“At the end of the day, we are event organisers. We all have a passion for design but we are not interior designers. So what we are saying is: ‘You tell us what you need, and together we will create it. We are listening’.”

Story continues below

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT Please click here to comment on this article

The organisers have also realised that the show’s greatest strength lies in its locale. “Last year, one of the things that came out of the steering committee was the need to focus on where we are – on the Arabic side of things. The contemporary majlis competition came out of that and was very popular, and that has really highlighted what our unique selling point is,” Buchanan noted.

“We are here, in the Middle East. This is a Middle East show. Will we ever compete with the Milan Furniture Fair or Maison & Objet? No. We are a different show. But it’s becoming very clear why we are a different show.”

The contemporary majlis competition will be run again this year, on a more “spectacular” scale, Buchanan revealed. Responding to feedback from last year’s event, which called for more innovation, Index 2010 will also focus more heavily on technology and ‘intelligent living’. “The research was very comprehensive and gave us a clear indication of what people wanted,” Buchanan said.

Other new features will include a section dedicated to kitchens and bathrooms. While the event will not be sectionalised this year, this does signify a shift in that direction, as Buchanan is conscious of the need to make the show easier to navigate.

“What we will offer is mapping software that helps you completely plan your trip before you come. It tells you everything you need to know about the exhibitors, and you can make appointments before you get there. It draws a map out and locates all the stands for you,” she detailed.

With the show celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the aim is to ensure that Index is more comprehensive, more design-orientated and better looking than ever. A more geographically diverse exhibitor spread, including the show’s first Japanese exhibitor, more high-end Asian companies, and greater Eastern European and Turkish representation, will go some way in making this a reality.

“What I want is for people to walk in and say: ‘What is that?’ Whether they like it or they don’t doesn’t matter because taste is individual, but I want to get them thinking,” Buchanan concluded.