Design Parade, a Festival in the French Countryside, is the Anti–Design Fair

Each spring, as we’re challenged to survive the Milan fair, New York Design Week, and Design Miami-Basel in rapid succession, life really does start to feel like one big, annoying, never-ending design parade. And yet funny enough, the festival of that same name, which takes place in early July at the Villa Noailles in Hyères, often feels like the antidote — a charming anti-design-fair in the French countryside where creativity, not commerce, is the only thing on the agenda. This year, as in past years, the Villa itself has been given over to presentations of work by 10 emerging designers, who will be competing for grants and residencies, as well as exhibitions by past winners of said grants and residencies. And for the first time ever, the neighboring town of Toulon has become host to a series of 10 fantasy rooms built by 10 interior design teams, as well as satellite exhibitions like the Valentina Cameranesi show we featured yesterday. Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite picks from both events.

emmanuelle simon 1Bedroom by Emmanuelle SimonSamyRioInstallation by 2016 prize-winner Samy Rio MariaJeglinskaA survey of works by Maria Jeglinska TerredeSalernes3Salernes terracotta exhibition by Thélonious GoupilTerredeSalernes1Salernes terracotta exhibition by Thélonious GoupilSS_DesignParade_JullienOutdoor furnishings by Florent JullienSS_DesignParade_ErtelWooden furniture by Lisa ErtelSS_DesignParade_HeffnerFountain by Arthur Hoffner
VincentDarréA “haunted house” designed by Vincent Darré VincentDarré2A “haunted house” designed by Vincent Darré
IngaSempeRetrospective of work by Design Parade head jury member Inga Sempe AdrienRoveroDoodle exhibition by Adrien Rovero PernellePoyetAn exhibition of glass designs by Pernelle Poyet