MATTER and SHAPE 2026

From March 6 to 9, 2026, in the heart of the Jardin des Tuileries, MATTER and SHAPE returns for its third edition, further confirming its distinctive role within the international design calendar. Conceived as a fair at the intersection of creativity and commerce, the event has now established itself as one of the strategic highlights of the industry.

Led by Matthieu Pinet and backed by the WSN group, with creative direction by Dan Thawley, the fair continues to pursue its ambition: to offer a demanding curatorial platform capable of bringing together established figures and emerging talents around a transversal vision of contemporary design.

SCALE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR READING
For 2026, the chosen theme, “Scale,” operates as a conceptual prism. It questions the relationships of proportion between objects, bodies, spaces, and temporalities. From the micro to the monumental, from the unique piece to industrial production, MATTER and SHAPE explores the multiple dimensions of design, both formal and ethical.

The reference to S, M, L, XL, the architectural manifesto published in 1995 by Rem Koolhaas and Bruce Mau, sheds light on this approach: to think about scale is to think about context, responsibility, and impact. At a time when traceability, resource scarcity, and the valorisation of human capital are reshaping practices, the fair advocates a representation of design grounded in ethical, sustainable, and transparent principles.

A programme of talks will extend this reflection, bringing together international designers, architects, and thinkers for dialogues dedicated to the contemporary challenges of production and distribution.

TWO PAVILIONS FOR AN EXPANDED EXPERIENCE
Spanning more than 4,000 square metres in the Jardin des Tuileries, the fair unfolds across two temporary pavilions conceived by JA Projects, the studio founded by Jayden Ali.

Known for projects situated at the intersection of architecture, strategy, and performance—from the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale to exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum—the practice here conceives a spatial framework envisioned as much as a social project as an architectural one. Bespoke stands, shared spaces, cultural programming areas, a restaurant, and a bookshop compose an environment that moves beyond the traditional format of a professional trade fair.

Among the announced highlights: the return of the café Zara Home x Dreamin’ Man, a restaurant imagined by Balbosté around the theme of the fair, a reading room supported by Villa Hegra, and an immersive olfactory experience orchestrated by Byredo.

AN INTERNATIONAL MAPPING OF DESIGN
The 2026 selection confirms the fair’s strong international anchoring. Independent designers, heritage maisons, galleries, emerging studios, and leading names come together to form a panorama spanning object design, furniture, decorative arts, materials, textiles, and ceramics.

Among the participants are Herzog & de Meuron, Georg Jensen, Marimekko, Mutina, Petite Friture, and Serax, alongside a new generation of studios and hybrid practices. This diversity—from collectible pieces to productions emerging from global industrial supply chains—illustrates MATTER and SHAPE’s ambition to foster dialogue between craft, industry, and innovation. •

ABOUT MATTER AND SHAPE
Launched in 2024 in a space designed by Willo Perron, the fair welcomed more than 20,000 visitors across its first two editions. Scheduled to coincide with the opening of Paris womenswear ready-to-wear week, it benefits from heightened visibility among collectors, architects, interior designers, international buyers, and media. In just three editions, MATTER and SHAPE has positioned itself as an observatory of the transformations shaping global design—a place where the object is never isolated from its context of production, circulation, and reception.

MATTER AND SHAPE — 3RD EDITION
Jardin des Tuileries, Paris
Friday, March 6 to Monday, March 9, 2026
Visit the fair: https://register.matterandshape.com/en

photos : Georg Jensen • Justin Menard • Griegst • Ann Demeulemeester x Serax • Matthieu Lavanchy © MATTER and SHAPE • Petite Friture © Pauline Chardin © MATTER and SHAPE