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Until a few years ago, participation in the Paris Design Fair was more of a dream than a plan for us. The logistics, the costs, the scale of the event - everything seemed out of another league. However, in January 2026 we stood on the trade fair floor as part of one of the largest industry events in Europe, Maison & Objet. We realized very quickly that this is not a trade fair where you go for inspiration, but an event that verifies what stage of brand development you are at. Why? Read our report and the lessons we learned.
UMMO Lighting's booth and Upper Half at Maison & Objet 2026 in Paris.
We went to the fair together with Górna Półka, which in foreign markets functions as UPPER HALF and was the main exhibitor. From the beginning, we knew in what formula we would be present - as a brand co-creating the space and presenting its products in a partnership arrangement.
This solution had its advantages: it allowed us to appear on one of the most important design stages in Europe and to see how our lamps function in an international context. Naturally, some visitors inquired about the relationship between the brands, which opened up space to talk about their separate specialties and identities.
These were valuable conversations - not only about products, but about design philosophy and development directions. We distributed a large number of UMMO Lighting brand catalogs, and the interest in our design was clear.
Above all, this edition of the fair showed us how important it is to precisely communicate the structure of cooperation and simultaneously build brand recognition in foreign markets - step by step, consistently.
Maison & Objet 2026 in Paris - a fair unlike any other.
This was our first time at Maison & Objet, so we have no comparison with previous editions. However, unlike other fairs we have already exhibited at, here we were surprised by the lack of a classic thematic division.
There were no clear sectors of lighting or furniture. Everything was mixed. Next to halls with premium brands there were spaces where sales at times resembled a designer fair. Quite a few monobrand stands offered almost everything: vases, lamps, furniture, textiles, paintings.
This allowed us to change our perspective. Because at an event like this, you are not just competing with a lamp manufacturer, but with a complete lifestyle vision.
The most interesting trends at Maison & Objet 2026 in Paris.
The most prominent trend? Color, lots of color! Strong yellows, deep greens, saturated blues, bold forms. So, a trend in opposition to the subdued style of scandi or japanese, which also dominated in Poland for years. Paris shows that interiors are becoming more expressive, less conservative and, above all, more personal. We see this in our sales - UMMO Lighting's colorful lamps are selling better and better.
The trade fair's slogan "Past Reveals Future," a dialogue between history and the future, was evident in many projects. This is a very apt meta-narrative for what was happening at the fair: traditional craftsmanship met with innovative technologies; classic baroque forms are reinterpreted as avant-garde; raw materials are combined with ultra-modern manufacturing processes. This sends a clear message to the industry: less massification, more authenticity and a fresh look at the classics.
At the fair, we could see four distinct trends present at the booths:
- metamorphosis - recycling and transformation of objects, changing their function and sense of use.
- mutation - hybrids of materials, their juxtaposition in unobvious ways.
- revisited Baroque - theatrical, elegant and luxurious details inspired by the Baroque, but with a modern twist.
- neo-Folklore - local stories and traditions reinterpreted in the context of global design.
Can everything from the fair be implemented? It's hard to say after one edition. But the direction is clear: design is no longer neutral. It is supposed to evoke emotions.
Foreign brand expansion - is the French market a good direction for Polish design?
The most important conclusion from this trip, however, is more strategic than aesthetic. The French market could be a development direction with great potential for UMMO Lighting.
French modern interiors are bolder in color. The round, morphic forms of our lamps and wide color palette naturally fit into this aesthetic. Anyway, it's not just a hunch anymore. We have our first sales through a store based in France, as well as our first collaboration with a French influencer - UTOPIC - in whose kitchen a Malumi lamp hangs.
At the same time, we are aware that one trip to a trade show does not build a market position. It takes systematic work, building relationships, increasing recognition and trust.
Internationalization of the brand step by step - what does the largest design fair in Europe teach?
What are we returning with after Maison & Objet 2026? We brought back:
- the realization that as a UMMO Lighting brand we are ready to go out more widely,
- confirmation that our aesthetic direction is valid,
- a lesson on how to accurately communicate the brand,
- the conviction that France is an achievable market for us.
Just a few years ago, participation in Maison & Objet was beyond our financial and logistical reach, and today we have a presence there, which in itself is a success for us.
Summary
Maison & Objet 2026 proved to be an important test for us. If we return, and we want to return, it will be with even clearer communication and a clear strategy for our presence in the French market. We feel that we are just beginning to write the next chapter of UMMO Lighting's history!