Philipp Ferger and Julia Uherek, Co-vice presidents of Consumer Goods Fairs

Lifestyle:

Messe Frankfurt -Celebrating Beauty and Sustainability on Our Planet

India is a Significant Player in the Lifestyle Market

With so much unrest and chaos in the world, it is always surprising to see that an alternate world of calm exists side by side – a world that is almost surreal, a world of possibilities enabling us to think, function and operate at our best, facing all challenges.

The building blocks for these places of respite and action generation are set at places like the Frankfurt Consumer Goods Fairs where the blueprints are generated by world class designers, manufacturers and creators. New ideas and products for our changing times evolve here, creating new trends for the future.

Recently the powers behind Messe Frankfurt were in the Big Apple to appraise New Yorkers about three major shows in February and to welcome them to come see the best from global traders and acquire the best for their home and their world. The New York media met them at a press lunch at The Fifth Avenue Hotel.

Julia Uherek and Philipp Ferger, Vice Presidents of Consumer Goods Fairs, shared an overview of the global marketplace for the February show (February 7-11, 2025). This magical place has three consumer goods fairs in one – Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld. For the first time ever, the three leading consumer goods fairs will open the order season in Frankfurt together on 7 February 2025.

Three Consumer Good Fairs in One Place

The meeting discussed the comprehensive coverage of various sectors, including lifestyle goods, HomeSense, and high-tech products, at the Frankfurt trade show. These shows attract 4,500-10,000 exhibitors from over 90 countries. Challenges of geopolitical issues, economic uncertainty, and supply chain disruptions were acknowledged. The focus is on building strong networks and investing in hospitality and contract business segments, with a new curated area for furniture brands.

Julia Uherek spoke about the importance of building resilient networks for exhibitors, focusing on multiple target groups and new markets. She also mentioned the special presentation by Fabian Freitag, an unconventional designer integrating artificial intelligence in his projects. She also mentioned the creation of a new community for designers, with a dedicated day for designers and emphasized the importance of the talents program, inviting young designers with new approaches in interior design.

“The trio of Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld is further expanding its position as the global hub for modern lifestyles, seasonal decorations and creative products and we are starting the trade fair countdown,” said Ferger. “The challenges in the market remain, and it is important right now to seize opportunities, to design exciting product ranges and to show the point of sale at its best. And in our global industry, all of this is only possible with resilient, robust networks.”

India’s Rise As a Significant Player in the lifestyle marketplace

And a global landscape it is definitely becoming. Ferger explained to me how India has become a big player in the design and interiors trade. For Messe Frankfurt, the target market in India are the wholesalers, retailers and the contract business hospitality, so retail and professional end users, hotels, restaurants, real estate, companies and public spaces. Ferger emphasized the importance of India as a significant exhibitor and consumer market, with a large population and growing potential.

‘India for us, is a very important exhibitors country. We have had a large increase of companies of exhibitors from India, because India is vast, has a huge potential as an option to China because it has good production and work force. Indeed, while China is important, more alternatives are always needed as one can’t be dependent on one country in sourcing.”

He added, “India is, on the one hand, a very important exhibitor country, but also a very interesting domestic market, because there is a huge potential on the buyer’s side, because you have a huge population and there is a long positive way to go. As India’s consumer market continues to grow, India is for us, for Germany but especially for Messe Frankfurt, a real strong business partner.”

Indeed, as India continues to become a major player in the lifestyle consumer market, the bed you sleep in or the bar stools in your favorite restaurant may well have been sourced at Messe Frankfurt. The world is becoming an exciting global marketplace and come February the latest trends from sustainability to AI will all be there at this fertile cosmos of creativity.