Fair report: Tendence 2009, Frankfurt

It may not be the most glamarous of exotic summer locations but in order to get a leg up on the consumer goods market, we made our annual pilgrimage to attend the Tendence trade fair in Frankfurt. Held in early July each year, Tendence offers the earliest preview of Autumn/Winter season tabletop products, living accessories and art gifts from around the globe.

Although it’s typically considered the younger cousin to Frankfurt’s other fair, Ambiente, (the largest world trade exhibition of consumer goods in the world,) Tendence is definitely still extensive. Held in the sprawling Messe Frankfurt grounds, the fair brings a multitude of young designers, niche companies and larger producers together under one large roof.

The main highlight of this year’s fair was certainly the ‘Personal Shopper’ display, curated by London design favourites, Doshi Levien (see the gallery above for more images). The duo were tasked with selecting their favourite products from Tendence exhibitors in the run up to the fair. Inspired by the lifestyles of the Bohemian Bourgeois, Doshi/Levien filled their space with a playful mix of everyday and luxury objects that successfully articulated the creativity of ‘Le Bobos’ and reinterpreted the concept of value.

The beauty of Tendence is the sheer variety of products on offer. During our scout around, we uncovered items spanning the realms of food, beauty, jewellery, furniture and tabletop accessories. While it might not have the buzz of Salone in Milan, the charm of Maison et Objet in Paris or the style of Stockholm, Tendence easily satisfied our need to discover the lesser known.