A renewed creative energy is flowing through Paris. It’s not the result of an extended Paris Design Week or Maison et Objet, but rather a newly emergent art and design festival circuit heralded by the second annual Paris+ par Art Basel, the inaugural edition of its sister fair Design Miami/ Paris, and Contributions, an upstart collectible design showcase popping up at key architectural sites around town. Unlike Design Miami’s longtime home on the hedonistic shores of South Beach or the cavernous MCH Messe Basel, the design forum’s next evolution is taking over L’hôtel de Maisons, a landmark hôtel particulier nestled in Saint-German-des-Prés.
It’s an ideal location for a fair renowned for bringing together the world’s most distinguished galleries and designer presentations every year. The 18th-century mansion neighbors a multitude of collectible design galleries and was previously home to Karl Lagerfeld and several generations of the Pozzo di Borgo family. But don’t expect anything too buttoned-up. Jen Roberts, the fair’s chief executive, wants to push the envelope while acknowledging the city’s status as a capital of collectible design. “[Paris] is home to many of the celebrated galleries, partners, and brands who have been so integral to the scholarship and evolution of this market,” she said in a statement. Sixteen local galleries will show at the fair, which runs through Sunday and features 27 exhibitors packed into 22,550 square feet. The unofficial theme? “French, but with a touch of American entrepreneurialism,” Roberts says. Below are the galleries and pieces not to be missed.
