Furniture

Despite the current economic difficulties, Tendence remained on course this year. 2,091 exhibitors from 63 countries and over 50,000 trade visitors from 97 countries took advantage of the international Frankfurt Autumn Fair to prepare for the autumn, winter and Christmas season, traditionally a very busy time of the year. In this connection, Tendence was once again the global venue where buyers from the home and giving sectors were able to discover the latest product and trends. While the number of German visitors remained comparatively stable with a decline of around eight percent, the number of buyers from abroad fell by about a third across the board. Particularly affected were overseas countries while the main European nations were relatively resistant. The level of inter­nationality amounted to 27 percent. The top five European visitor countries were Switzerland, Italy, Austria, The Netherlands and France. Overall, there was a 20 percent decline in the number of visitors to Tendence.



“Our fairs present a mirror image of the current situation in the inter­national market and this was to be seen clearly at Tendence: con­sumption in Germany remains stable. Outside Germany, however, the climate is very poor, especially overseas. Thus, the decline in the number of international exhibitors and, consequently, visitors, is primarily the logical result of the difficult economic climate in general”, explains Dr. Michael Peters, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt GmbH.



Nevertheless, through new products and a high standard of quality, the almost 2,100 exhibitors were able to do good business. This is reflected by the degree of satisfaction expressed by the exhibitors and visitors polled, and which reached levels similar to last year. Individuality and quality were rewarded by the orders hoped for.



“I am very pleased with Tendence. Our 400 or so new products were very well received and numerous customers came to our stand. Our order books are full and we have achieved a very good result at the fair”, said Nic Duysens, General Manager of nic duysens e.k, supplier of home accessories and lifestyle products, describing the course of business at Tendence. “We are very pleased with the fair. Our exhibition stand was always busy and we were able to look after our existing customers very well. Additionally, we made very many interesting new contacts and held some very good discussions. Here, in Frankfurt, we encounter professional, well-prepared buyers and know in advance that we will do some good business. We noticed that customers are currently more careful and selective in their purchases”, added Detlef Klatt, General Manager of O living Interior Design GmbH. Moreover, Presnet Time GmbH, “Actually improved on last year”, with its range of gifts for a wide variety of occasions.



Besides market leaders and exhibitors of many years’ standing, new companies also reported business success. For Florian Berger, founder and General Manager of Donkey Products, “Tendence was a complete success. This was our third appearance here in Frankfurt and it was also our most successful. Our products have been given a good reception by both German and international buyers. Dis­tinguished by a combination of humour and good design, our products are in line with the spirit of the times and, as a young company, we feel very much at home here.”



Trends 2009: natural with bold colours



White, beige, silver-grey and gold will dominate in the home next autumn and winter while claret, violet and lilac set powerful accents. Decorative products will also be characterised by intensive colours in the coming season with neon shades, such as green, pink and lilac, frequently being combined with glittering metallic surfaces. Contrasting with this is the continued trend to natural products with soft colours, such as white, sand and stone, and materials, such as wood, paper and slate. There is a demand for wall and floor coverings made of natural materials in the home and furnishing sector, too. Small pieces of furniture tend to have clear but not completely uncluttered lines. Jewellery is dominated by exciting material contrasts with, for example, concrete, textiles, plastics, Aramith or porcelain being combined with classic precious metals.

The next Tendence will be held from 2 to 6 July 2010. The inter­national Frankfurt Autumn Fair is split into three trade fairs – Living, Giving and Collectione Preview Spring + Summer – plus the Passage product segment.