Inside Design Shanghai 2023: A celebration of global and Chinese designers

Tatler Homes visited the 10th edition of the fair, which took place from June 8-11 and showcased an eclectic mix of international and Chinese brands

Billed as Asia’s leading international design event, Design Shanghai—which took place from June 8-11—celebrated its 10th edition this year.

It was the biggest-ever edition of the annual event, with 600 brands and more than 1,000 new product launches, and welcomed more than 77,200 visitors. It featured exhibitions, installations, design forums and networking events, bringing established and emerging designers from mainland China and around the world under one roof at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center.

Designers from the region who participated in Design Shanghai included Gen.T China honouree Frank Chou, whose studio was an exhibitor, and who mentored young designers showcasing their works in a special section named Talents; and Hong Kong-based architect and Asia’s Most Influential honouree Steve Leung, who gave a talk to a packed room. Hong Kong-born, Europe-based Chi Wing Lo was behind Interlude, a pavilion located in one of the exhibition halls that was created to offer guests a moment of peace and reflection. A workshop titled Rong Weaving, which featured 28 artists who explored traditional Chinese weaving and knitting, also took place.

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Photo 1 of 2 This year’s Design Shanghai saw more than 77,200 visitors (Photo: courtesy of Design Shanghai)

Photo 2 of 2 The fair was in partnership with Audi (Photo: courtesy of Design Shanghai)

Asian brands like U+, Stellar Works and Okamura exhibited alongside international brands like Christofle, Gubi and Flos.

Fashion and textile designer Zandra Rhodes and artist and industrial designer Ross Lovegrove, both UK-based, were among the speakers. This year’s new features include a display dubbed Design Street, curated by London-based studio Design Burger, which brings together independent designers and brands in a special zone designed to welcome visitors to wander through.

Above The U+ stand (Photo: courtesy of Design Shanghai)

“In the first edition of Design Shanghai, only one local brand participated. This year, over half the design space is filled with local talents, with 100 Chinese designers being showcased,” says Zhuo Tan, Design Shanghai’s event director. “Design Shanghai is a reflection of the growth and power of Chinese design and the next generation of industry leaders.”

Above Ross Lovegrove at the fair (Photo: courtesy of Design Shanghai)

Here are some of the most noteworthy collections we saw.

Christofle

Above Mood Asia tray (Photo: courtesy of Christofle)

French silverware and tableware brand Christofle introduced five new collections, including Concorde Variations, which features contemporary cutlery in an oblong shape in homage to Paris’ Place de la Concorde. Malmaison Impériale, a contemporary porcelain set that is part of the brand’s iconic Malmaison collection, was also released, as was the Mood Asia tray: created with the notions of sharing in Asian dining in mind, the piece features porcelain ramekins and sauce bowls and consists of removable and reversible wooden compartments.

Flos

Above Skynest Suspension (Photo: courtesy of Flos)

Italian contemporary lighting brand Flos debuted four collections, including Skynest Suspension, which is designed by Marcel Wanders. Consisting of LED strips covered in fabric, Skynest Suspension emits light that comes from the very element that forms its structure.

Fuli

Above Lipsticks (Photo: courtesy of Fuli)

Chinese brand Fuli worked with the famed British designer Zandra Rhodes to create Lipsticks, a collection of rugs that saw its global debut at the fair. The tapestry features the lipstick motif Rhodes famously created back in 1968.

Acerbis

Above Due Più (Photo: courtesy of Acerbis)

Italian furniture brand Acerbis released Due Più, a chair designed by Nanda Vigo. With a steel frame, and featuring fur sourced from food industry waste, the piece was created with sustainability in mind.

Maria Yee

Above Zither Lattice coffee table and Beam leather sofa (Photo: courtesy of Maria Yee)

Maria Yee, of her eponymous California-based contemporary furniture design studio, showcased the Zither Lattice coffee table and Beam leather sofa. With minimalist, clean silhouettes, the pieces are created for the ultimate laidback lounging, according to the designer. The latter features a modular design, allowing it to be transformed into loveseats or ottomans.

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Design Shanghai Design Architecture Shanghai Designers