ddp design fair

You`re joining us again this year, do you have any new expectations? 

With the final number of exhibiting teams reduced from 120 to 60 compared to last year, it allowed us to be selective and focused and there is a lot to look forward to. Expectations of what products would have been developed after the mentoring week, expectations of the exhibition space and so on. However, a piece of advice for those participating, there’s not enough time to prepare during the fair. So if you prepare thoroughly before applying, you can focus more on coming up with a good product without being rushed.  

You talked about how disappointed you were with the exhibit space last year.

Last year, we had a large number of products, but it was pointed out that it was too product-focused. It felt more like a store than an exhibition. We can`t show the whole process of making, but this year, we will try to communicate with the audience by telling the stories behind each product, and we will leave a space between the products so that you can enjoy the time to appreciate them. The exhibition space itself is smaller this year, but it is the role of the curator to organize it efficiently.

What are some of the things you`ve emphasized when mentoring?

We talked a lot about the value of the product, because at the end of the day, it`s all leading to the same conclusion, which is to convince the consumer to buy the product that the designer and the maker have created together. And in order to do that, the product has to have a commodity value. It has to make them feel proud of having a product that has value, not just the desire to own it. We didn`t tell them to do this or to do that, because it`s up to them to figure out how to add value. In that sense, we picked the best activity teams from the last fair, and they are a good example of how to capture product value. If they hadn`t captured the value, the sales would have been low. The fact that they are expanding their distribution and scale based on their sales shows that this year`s teams have potential. 

You`ve given us strong praise and a sneak peek at what`s to come at the fair.

I think the overall vibe is similar to last year, but the details are tighter. Some teams have already participated in the fair more than once, so I think they`ve gotten the hang of it. Last year, there were some products that were only partially complete, but now I was surprised to see so many almost finished products with enhanced details. There was also a pleasant sense of competition with the appearance of products that looked ready to sell.