Last year, Taipei, Taiwan hosted the first IDA Congress after the three international design organizations Icsid, Icograda and IFI together formed the International Design Alliance (IDA) in 2008.This unprecedented global design event, and the impressive engagement in dialogue between the world's foremost designers and industrialists, provided the most pertinent trends and insights for the development of Taiwan's creative economy soft power.

Keeping alive the spark ignited by the 2011 IDA Congress, Taiwan Design Center is planning to participate in the 2012 Maison et Objet this year by organizing a 'Taiwan Pavilion' with the theme "Fresh Taiwan.""Fresh Taiwan" implies the meaning of Taiwan - a tiny island nurturing an infinite breadth of imagination and creativity, with connotations of a culture with roots in the local lifestyle. The Taiwan furniture and home furnishings industry is diverse, with a young brand style, and can be compared to continually sprouting new shoots in the open green countryside, displaying an active, outward expansive energy.

With "Fresh Taiwan" as the theme of the Taiwan Pavilion, the exhibition space will be mapped out into three main sections, Taiwan Design, Taiwan Craft & Design and Taiwan Cultural & Creative. "Taiwan Design" focuses on the gradual emerging of design from a single closed system into a multidimensional, cross-discipline communication platform, with design objects being extended from tangible products to intangible services and experiences. This section demonstrates how "Good communication" will become a more important key to success than "technology" or "knowledge." The exhibited products are no longer limited to the range of articles merely demonstrating practical and beautiful designs, instead, the designers interpret the relationship between designers and people through the articles, space and people. Furthermore, the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute has brought together five of Taiwan's top craft design brands to assemble the "CRAFT & DESIGN from TAIWAN" in the 'Taiwan Craft & Design' section, reaching out to promote Taiwan's high-quality craft design brands.

This year, Taiwan's indigenous Phalaenopsis amabilis var. formosana (also known as the P. Amabilis or fringed iris, and is commonly called "Taiwan's grandmother") is being used as the theme for "Taiwan Design," to not only symbolize that Taiwan design is like the elegant blooms of the P. amabilis, but also look forward to Taiwan design emblazoning the world design arena. This autumn, we cordially invite you to visit the Taiwan Pavilion located in the "Now! design à vivre" exhibition hall of the 2012 Maison et Objet, to see the latest home fashion styles designed and crafted in Taiwan, in the stunning fashion capital of Paris.