Trends — and trending topics —lined up for next Ambiente and Christmasworld fair
The combined fairs next February will highlight three new design trends, focus on visual merchandising, and place greater emphasis on hospitality opportunities.
FRANKFURT, Germany —The next edition of Messe Frankfurt’s Ambiente and Christmasworld shows will highlight three new design trends, focus on visual merchandising, and place greater emphasis on hospitality opportunities, show organizers said in a press conference last week.
The two shows will be held concurrently, along with Creativeworld, Feb. 7-11, 2025 and will include nearly 5,000 exhibitors from 90 countries.
Those exhibitors will be working in a challenging marketplace marked by political upheaval in many countries, economic uncertainty, continued supply chain issues and the increase of digital retailers, said Philipp Ferger, Messe Frankfurt’s vice president of consumer goods fairs.
“Right now is the time for our customers to seize opportunities,” Ferger said. “For this, you need resilient networks. You need to intensify relationships with existing customers, find new customers, identify new target groups, be more independent from markets, and increase your export range. Frankfurt is the first and most important place to establish these networks.
“Our focus for the industry is clear— networking.”
The Trends
The fair is known for highlighting global trends across categories and across Ambiente and Christmasworld.
Trend expert Annetta Palmisano provided a peek at what will command attention in 2025. She called the three trends “deep,” “real” and “ease.”
“Deep” are powerful designs that leave a deep impression, are inspiring and innovative, Palmisano said. They are enhanced by light and shade, have an atmospheric aspect to their colors and include metallics that capture light.
Related: Pantone launches big new color collection
“Real” has an “engineering spirit” with meaningful, functional products that work to affect positive change and a sustainable future, according to Palmisano.
“Ease” is all about openness, joy and experimentation with unconventional patterns and “fruity” colors.
Visual merchandising
Visual merchandising programming at Christmasworld will focus on display possibilities for professional end-users such as city centers, airports, train stations and restaurants.
“Emotional [displays] and lighting play an important role in business success” said Julia Uherek, vice president of consumer goods fairs at Messe Frankfurt. “People look for magical shopping experience.”
There will be a guided tour and keynote speaker Matthew Brown, a retail expert and owner of a London-based agency for international retail and [trend} direction, will address the topic of visual merchandising.
A “Precious Moments” display at Christmasworld will combine product ranges from exhibitors and create a an “emotional work of art,” Uherek said. The design direction will be pastel colors, gold and lilac, which will be dominant in the next year, she noted. Year-round decoration idea will be presented as for inspiration to buyers.
Hospitality emphasis
Noting a consumer shift to experiential spending and more diverse product development for the hospitality segment, Messe Frankfurt is devoting more exhibit space and attention to professional end-users such as architects and interior designers with a more “holistic” portfolio and a broader offering across the living, dining and working segments of the fair.
Fair designer
Messe Frankfurt has named Berlin-based architect and interior designer Fabian Freytag as the special designer for the 2025 fair. Freytag will design the lounge, a common space in Messe Frankfurt’s cavernous exhibit hall, showcasing his work in Midjourney, the generative AI tool, to create what he called “the flexible guestroom of tomorrow.”
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