Mid-September 2012 saw Brussels Expo host MoOD – a leading international trade fair dedicated to fabrics, upholstery and wallcoverings. Hospitality Interiors’ Katie Sherry went along to the event, and discovered a host of trend innovations.
With the issue of waste currently proving a talking point, many of the innovations on display had an eco-friendly emphasis – with a range of wallcoverings utilising re-used and upcycled stone, newspaper and wood. Tin- and wood-effect wallcoverings also made the aesthetic of natural materials a focal point.
Retro motifs and photographic imagery came to the fore, alongside animal prints, Ikat-style patterns and soft, painterly designs. Three-dimensional and textured fabrics in neutral colour tones also had a big impact, with subtle hints of warm metallics shining through.
Innovation could also be found in the Fluxus Trend Cafe, which displayed three trend scenarios for 2013/2014 from MoOD’s inspiration book, Fluxus. The trends set to take effect are the direct result of the current transitory phase of the young generation, which will increasingly make people behave in three distinct ways.
Transition is reflective of a search for a more sustainable world. With a soft colour palette of blues, greens, oranges, purples and pinks, the trend has an understated style, with an emphasis on design freedom. Humankind’s relationship with nature is brought to the fore, with natural materials being utilised with care.
Prorsum, on the other hand, has a strikingly dark identity. Using ideas of violence, aggression and rebelliousness as sources of inspiration, the trend utilises matt blacks and high-gloss reds and oranges, which are accented by soft, feminine colours and glitter.
In defiance of the economic crisis – which, for many, has led to an increasingly frugal mindset – Eccentrics plays on the extravagant lifestyle of style icons and narcissistic personalities. Everything is a statement – from gold, silver, black and deep red colour tones to unattainably expensive materials.
