Fashion
More than 2,000 products ranging from kitchen hardware to stationary with innovative designs from across the globe were showcased at South Korea’s major trade show on Thursday, presenting the latest design trend.
Design Korea 2016, under the theme of “Beyond Asia,” kicked off on Wednesday for a five-day run at KINTEX in Goyang, north of Seoul. The annual event is hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by the Korea Institute of Design Promotion.
At an exhibition hall, more than 300 design companies from both at home and abroad set up booths to promote their latest design products, hoping to grab the attention of more than 200 international buyers.
The South Korean government mapped out a plan earlier this year to foster the design industry, designating creative design as the centerpiece of the country’s soft power.
“The event is the international design business festival that offers everything related to design and its business, from exhibiting world design trends to serving as a venue for participants to capture business opportunities,” the institute said in a press release.
Various products such as furniture, kitchen hardware, stationary and clocks were showcased at an exhibition hall under five themes — convenience, dignity, beauty, healthy and happiness.
Visitors look at innovative design products at the Design Korea 2016 at KINTEX in Goyang, north of Seoul, on Nov. 10, 2016. (Photo courtesy of the Korea Institute of Design Promotion)
South Korea’ design house Nep Plus presented their latest electric gadgets with creative industrial design.
Israel-based OTOTO presented innovative kitchen hardware products which are developed and manufactured in small scale each one by hand
At a business lounge located at the corner of the hall, buyers from both home and abroad met with innovative desingers.
Indonesia’s TV retail company Jabalu Media International, Britain’s retail shop Do Shop, and Japan’s AEON were at the lounge to close deals with local designers.
More than 40 overseas and 200 local firms participated in last year’s exhibition to close deals worth 58.9 billion won (US$51 million), ministry officials said, adding than deals worth 80 billion won are expected to be signed this year.
“The event will serve as an opportunity to promote the country’s excellent design industry and to expand design hallyu (the Korean pop culture craze worldwide,” said a ministry official.
Alberto Alessi, CEO of Italian houseware giant Alessi, held a public lecture at a forum held on the sidelines of the exhibition on Wednesday.
