MILAN — Alcova, the design platform known for its showcases from Milan Design Week to Design Miami, is about to unfurl its first trend forecasting project.
At Frankfurt’s Heimtextil, the four-day international trade show for home and contract textiles set to kick off Jan. 14, Alcova will take center stage at the fair’s Trend Arena. An upcoming installation will explore three distinct themes for 2025 and 2026: Naturally Uneven, Radically Restructured and Regenerative.
Naturally Uneven celebrates the rawness and authenticity of natural materials, Radically Restructured shows how advanced technologies and environmentally conscious design merge, and Regenerative embodies the principles of renewal, growth and circularity for customers who want to help shape a more sustainable future. All three trends underscore the rise of the ultra-discerning consumer, seeking more durable, high quality and sustainable products.
A rendering of Alcova’s upcoming installation at Heimtextil.
Installation design by Space Caviar
A spokesperson for Alcova told WWD that the exhibit is a break from traditional fair formats and its team envisaged the Trend Arena as a cultural space bound by an ecological, cultural and material narrative that “invites reflection, dialogue,” in addition to introducing cutting-edge textiles under the overarching Future Continuous theme.
“Heimtextil chose Alcova to curate this year’s trends not because of traditional expertise in textiles but rather for its ability to transform fairs into critical, thought-provoking exhibitions that propose alternative readings of the contemporary,” the spokesperson said.
For the project, Alcova conducted six interviews with international designers, including the British Ilse Crawford and Euratex director general Dirk Vantyghem, as well as textile researchers and representatives of associations and institutions from their network, who shed light on various aspects of the textile industry.
Other major highlights include the unveiling of Patricia Urquiola’s installation “Among Us,” which will put forth Studio Urquiola’s solution-driven textile research. This partnership also highlights organizers’ focus on showcasing the work of industry leaders with a multidisciplinary approach.
Urquiola’s open-plan installation outfitted with double-sided hanging carpet structures, lounge islands and individually manufactured seating furniture will invite visitors to experience textile concepts and to spark conversation about design, sustainability and conviviality. For the showcase, Urquiola worked with industry leaders and partners such as Spanish furniture maker Kettal, Italian furniture maker Moroso, rug company CC-tapis, Italian nylon yarn producer Aquafil, Italian architectural projects firm Cimento and Italian performance fabrics firm Parà Tempotest.
Working with Milan-based Alcova, which was founded in 2018 by Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima, reflects the fair’s efforts in elevating its trends section with positive-impact materials, Olaf Schmidt, vice president textiles and textile technologies of Messe Frankfurt, the trade fair and event organizer behind Heimtextil, told WWD.
“Their ability to transform any space aligns perfectly with Heimtextil’s vision — where trends are dynamic, rooted in rediscovering the past to shape the future. Alcova’s creative approach and interdisciplinary network make them the ideal partner to elevate Heimtextil Trends,” he added.
