HOMI's innovative vision centres on home living and its trends once again to benefit buyers and partners and be an increasingly key tool for inspiration and business while also appreciating what is on offer. A tailor-made project designed to meet the needs of buyers, the true stars of any self-respecting exhibition, whom HOMI has a direct relationship with based on detailed analyses of their opinions, allowing both parties to become aligned and transform opportunities into solid actions.

Actively listening throughout the year with interesting details emerging starting with the decisive Made in Italy factor, which is increasingly directing foreign buyers’ choices. The products originating in Italy always makes a difference, as well as the quality and design content of purchases. This is true both within Europe and the Far East, as confirmed by Karimi Nouelati of Roomours in the United Arab Emirates (highlighting the priority of sustainability as a value too) and Yury Chernyshov of Relan Zero in Russia, who reveals how in his country, Made in Italy is synonymous with creativity and craftsmanship, and is liked by all. After all, the Russian department store has always based its selections on major companies who translate precise vision into renowned projects in terms of the technology and materials used, guided by Italian industry leaders, such as B&B Italia, Giorgetti, Boffi and Flos, which it boasts a twenty year collaboration with.

The fact is, points out Egyptian Mohamed Esmat, Concept Manager for Orient International Trading L.C.C., “that Italians have the ability to produce contemporary products at competitive prices, comparable to China”.

The preference granted to creativity of Italian origin also applies to Germany, as “Made in Italy products are always special and unique” precisely because of the absolute value of their essence, as Karin Schlüßlhuber of Myangel says. Of course, the effects of the pandemic have not spared the German market, where two trends stand out, the very thrifty and the very opposite, both which are exactly the polarities buyer's purchases revolve around over the coming months.

And, if the focus on sustainability is translated into an approach aimed at business plans — with a focus on payments and various methods for the customer’s benefit, as the Russian buyer reveals, followed by the Egyptian buyer, who points out how customers know to wait for promotions and the most “attractive” sales — there’s huge anticipation for September’s event and for what buyers expect. Karimi Nouelati has no doubts, whose aim is to strike up new collaborations and find a cross-section of new trends at the exhibition, while at Relan Zero the main desire is rediscovering previous partner companies, to understand their experience of this period and research new solutions for restarting together with even greater gusto.

For those like Mohamed Esmat, who deals with home and furnishings, the focus will mainly be on kitchenware, tableware, gadgets, linens and the bathroom. As part of Homi, Orient International intends to look at market trends, both current ones and those foreseen next season. “Product selection is based on design and value. In some cases, we improve design based on market needs”.

The German buyer’s attitude is pragmatic. She knows perfectly well what her customers want, she knows that HOMI’s range of products will be, as always, as exhaustive as possible and that her choices will be largely centred around “beautiful” home décor items, mirrors and carpets in particular.