COLOGNE, Germany – Organizers of the Cologne International Furniture Fair have cancelled the January tradeshow due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans already are underway to resume the event in 2022.
IMM Cologne announced just last month it would convert to a hybrid format running Jan. 20-23 with a shorter physical market and extended digital platforms, but coronavirus-related developments since then in Europe and Germany forced a full cancellation. The next IMM Cologne will take place Jan. 19-23, 2022.
“We’ve had to face the reality, even though it’s painful. In the end, because of the very dynamic way things are developing right now, the uncertainty among our exhibitors and visitors was just too strong,” said Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse, the show’s venue, in a release. “This decision was geared to the interiors industry and made in close consultation with our conceptual sponsor, the Assn. of the German Furniture Industry, as well as our exhibitors and partners. Because the concept for the special edition was based on the offline and online formats being closely interlinked and mutually dependent, not even a purely digital event made sense under these circumstances.”
Böse remained optimistic about the future and looked forward to 2022, when he hopes IMM Cologne will get the industry off to a dynamic start to the year.
“The fact that IMM Cologne 2021 can’t take place because of the pandemic is extremely regrettable for our industry,” said Elmar Duffner, president of the Assn. of the German Furniture Industry. “But in view of the worsening coronavirus situation in Germany and many other countries, it’s the right decision.”
In 2022, IMM Cologne will take place in physical form as usual, with the addition of a digital supplement. Over the coming weeks, the concept for next year’s show will be drawn up in conjunction with the furniture industry.
Milan's Salone del Mobile could move from its regular April slot and take place in September next year, Dezeen has learned.
The move would see the fair, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2021, staged in the autumn for the first time since 1989.
Salone del Mobile, the largest and most important furniture show in the world and the anchor event of Milan's design week, is understood to be concerned that a fair in April would once again be disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Many countries now experiencing a second wave of Covid-19 infections that is expected to last through the winter and into spring 2021, throwing next year's calendar of fairs into doubt.
This year, Salone del Mobile was initially moved from April to June due to the pandemic before being cancelled altogether for the first time in its history. Next year's fair is currently scheduled to take place from 14 to 18 April 2021.
"Salone del Mobile will take place in 2021"
Organisers are understood to have been considering for some months whether to move the 2021 fair to either June or September, with September emerging as the preferred choice.
Salone del Mobile spokesperson Patrizia Malfatta confirmed that a change of date is being considered.
"We can confirm is that the Salone del Mobile will take place in 2021," she said. "The question about the possibility that the fair could move from April to some later months in the year, that's still open."
*Reported by Dezeen, all rights belong to it.
Post time: Nov-19-2020
