Paris 2026 Preview - Part 1: The Overview
I’ve been traveling to the January design shows in Paris for many years now, and each trip still manages to surface something that shifts the way I see textiles. This two-part preview is meant to help you get the most out of your own visit.
In Part 1, I’m sharing a practical overview of the shows and a few thoughts on navigating the city. In Part 2, I’ll spotlight the brands and designers I’m most looking forward to seeing this season.
THE SHOWS
Maison&Objet remains the big trade engine of January: a sprawling fair at Paris Nord Villepinte with multiple halls and thousands of exhibitors covering home décor, furniture, textiles, lighting, craft, and lifestyle. It’s easy for Paris Déco Off visitors to skip it, but I always recommend carving out at least a day.
The fairgrounds sit about 20 km north of central Paris. You can reach them by RER B (details below), or by taxi or car service—though traffic can stretch that ride considerably. Buying your badge in advance is still the best strategy; on-site tickets are more expensive, while pre-purchase options are often discounted.
Coat checks are plentiful, and there’s a wide range of food and coffee, from quick counters to more substantial options. They range a lot in quality and price, and they doo get very crowded, so try to eat at off peak times—or, if you are a client of one of the big brands, they often cater lunches. Be sure to download the Maison et Objet app for event updates and show details.
When: January 15-19, 2025
Where: Paris Nord Villepinte
Website: Maison et Objet
App: Maison et Objet App
Paris Deco Off is still the must-see event if your focus is luxury textiles, wallcoverings, and surface design. The showrooms open their doors across the city, with the densest clusters in Saint-Germain-des-Prés and around Rue de Mail. You’ll find major houses and small studios alike presenting new collections in spaces that feel far more intimate than a trade-fair booth.
When: January 14-17, 2025
Where: Various showrooms in Paris
Website: Paris Deco Off
Alongside Paris Déco Off and Maison&Objet’s “In the City” program, more and more galleries, ateliers, and independent designers host pop-ups. Some are officially part of the fairs; others are completely self-organized. These pop-ups often take place in distinctive locations like galleries, courtyards, and iconic Parisian landmarks, offering a dynamic, immersive atmosphere. A significant number are hosted in private apartments, providing a personal setting for designers to showcase their collections in real-life environments.
Most of these are concentrated in and around Saint-Germain-des-Prés, but you’ll also see pockets of activity in the Marais and near the Louvre. It’s worth leaving time for wandering; some of the most memorable encounters happen in these smaller off-program events.
Jiun Ho, JG Switzer, Sarah Von Dreele, and Parete’s 2025 joint pop-up in an art gallery in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés District
An immersive installation by Pierre Frey in a charmingly dilapidated Parisian apartment
Lala Curio’s 2025 pop-up in an apartment opposite Notre Dame
GETTING AROUND
Metro/RER
Paris’s public transport (metro, RER, buses, trams, and some river boats) is run by RATP and remains the most reliable way to move quickly, especially at peak hours. I tend to follow Google Maps or Citymapper exactly and rarely run into trouble.
You can tap in with a Navigo pass in Apple Wallet, or purchase individual tickets and passes through the Île-de-France Mobilités app.
Pro tip: Always check for strikes or line closures on the RATP website before setting out for an early appointmentwww.ratp.fr
Freenow Taxi App and Uber
Both Freenow and Uber are convenient car services, but traffic, one-way streets, and ride availability—especially during peak morning hours—can make the metro a quicker option. If you need to be somewhere early, booking an Uber ahead of time is reliable and convenient. Lyft does not opperate in Paris.
SCHEDULING
To make the most of your time, avoid running back and forth between neighborhoods! Try to arrange your schedule so you can see as much as possible within each area. I like to spend 1–2 days at M&O, one day on Rue de Mail, and 1–2 days in St. Germain. Setting aside a day or two for museums and textile-related retail visits is also highly recommended. It’s a long trip from California, so I always try to make the most of the time and explore as much as possible.
WHAT TO WEAR/BRING
It will be cold. It will be slushy. It might rain or snow the whole time. And you’ll be surrounded by incredibly chic people and designers who adore fashion. It’s a balancing act, but for me, comfort is non-negotiable. I make sure to bring plenty of reliable walking boots, a warm hat, a rain hat, nice gloves, a good overcoat, and an umbrella. At M&O, you can leave your coat at the coat check, but in Paris proper, you’ll be in and out all day, so a good coat and a few stylish scarves are essential.
Layers are a must!
And never go anywhere without a backup battery and phone charger. Between photos and maps, I often go through three charges in a day!
GETTING TO M&O
M&O takes place at the Parc des Expositions in Villepinte, accessible by the RER B train, which runs through central Paris (stops include Gare du Nord, Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, and Luxembourg). Take the train toward Charles de Gaulle airport or Parc des Exposition and get off at Parc des Expositions. The fairground is a quick and obvious walk from the station. Expect a 40-55 minute ride, sometimes crowded— but if you can snag an express train it’s much faster and has fewer passengers. At the end of the day try to leave M&O at least 30 minutes before the close, as the trains going back to Paris are very crowded.
When you arrive at Villepinte, look for the updated map with more specifics on Designer of the Year installation in Hall 3
MAISON ET OBJET OVERVIEW
For January 2026, Maison&Objet is working under the theme “Past Reveals Future.” The fair is looking backward and forward at once—celebrating craftsmanship, historic forms, and traditional techniques while asking how they can be re-imagined for contemporary living.
The show once again spans seven large halls and more than 2,000 exhibitors, so it’s worth being strategic. I usually prioritize:
The craft and fine-making areas, where small studios and artisans show work that often doesn’t appear at the other events.
Signature focuses on higher-end home labels.
Home Linen, Home Accessories, and Pattern Lab, where you see pattern and material innovation most clearly.
There are often country-specific sections set up by trade bureaus, and they’re definitely worth visiting. You’ll often find beautiful handmade objects on display, so be sure to stop and take a look.
The show is business-to-business, not necessarily to-the-trade, so if you’re buying, ask early about minimums and terms, as they vary widely. Some exhibitors sell samples for cash on the last day; if that’s part of your plan, have euros on hand rather than relying solely on cards.
CURATED SPACES
I always seek out the What’s New? spaces to get an overview of the most exciting trends. These curated showcases offer a glimpse into the breadth of goods in the show in inspiring ways, but the locations can change from year to year, so be sure to grab a map or use the app when you arrive.
Curated spaces at 2026’s Maison et Objet include:
What’s New? In Decor 2025
Elizabeth Leriche
WHAT’S NEW? IN DECOR by Elizabeth Leriche
This year, Leriche is creating an immersive route through decorative history—from antiquity and primitive forms to Art Deco and more experimental work—using exhibitor pieces to stage a quiet conversation between past references and current impulses, and to show how new aesthetics keep surfacing from those traces.
François Delclaux
What’s New? In Retail 2025
WHAT’S NEW? IN RETAIL by François Delclaux
Delclaux is treating retail as a kind of material lab: a “Past Reveals Future” journey built around stone, wood, glass and metal, both as substance and image, to explore how shops can reconnect craft and innovation and turn the point of sale back into a sensorial, genuinely inspiring space.
Rudy Guénaire
WHAT’S NEW? IN HOSPITALITY by Rudy Guénaire
Hospitality is framed through Rudy Guénaire’s Suite 2046, a room that feels rooted in memory yet distinctly futuristic and dreamlike, paired with a written reflection on tomorrow’s hotel codes and an emphasis on bathing as a simple daily ritual elevated into a kind of ceremony.
Harry Nuriev
“Transformism” an installation by Harry Nuriev, the M&O designer of the year.
Stay tuned for part 2, where I’ll be sharing my can’t-miss list for this year’s Paris shows!
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