Design Nation: the new B2B platform for design in Belgium

Design professionals can once again visit Kortrijk Xpo next autumn to discover trends and innovations at Design Nation. This brand-new trade fair features a premium range of designer furniture, lighting, interior textiles and decorative objects. 

Design Nation will take place at Kortrijk Xpo on 19 and 20 October. It will be the new hotspot for design, open only to professionals from different sectors, such as furnishers of high-end hotels and restaurants, office design, project development or the medical and public sectors. But interior designers and retailers in design objects and furniture are also welcome.

After the era of the renowned Interieur fair, a vacuum arose in the Belgian design landscape. Within the Kortrijk Xpo team, the idea grew to develop a new trade fair concept: just as ambitious and qualitative as Interieur, but adapted to the current needs of the sector. In-depth research showed that many manufacturers - in Belgium and abroad - have a clear need for a high-quality platform to present their design innovations. Preferably at a fair that is more compact in time and only for a professional audience. 

"The world is changing rapidly. It used to be enough to furnish an office with purely functional elements, but those days are over. Today's working environment must radiate warmth, with cosy seating areas and flexible arrangements," says Hannelore Caenepeel, exhibition manager. "The same applies, for example, to residential care and medical centres that strive for furnishings that combine functionality, aesthetics and homeliness."

As far as exhibitors are concerned, the bar has been set high. Design Nation targets national and international premium brands that surprise and inspire professional visitors with innovative products, both technological and creative. The main part of the offer consists of furniture, both indoor and outdoor, as well as kitchen and bathroom fittings, interior textiles, lighting and decorative objects. 

Innovation is the determinator at Design Nation. A jury of design professionals will judge the innovative nature and creative level of the collections and objects on display. 

The particularly unique plug-and-play formula not only appeals incredibly, it allows all the objects displayed at Design Nation to be shown to their best advantage. Hannelore Caenepeel: "We want to unburden our exhibitors so they don't have to invest in an expensive stand. Our unique scenography, where stands are separated by semi-transparent curtains, triggers people to take a look at the stands. There is a choice between stands of 24, 40 or 80 square metres. Trend watchers from different sectors and countries will give talks on the trend stage. The winner of the "Designer of the Year" competition organised by Knack Weekend will also speak at a trend session."