Imm cologne restarts its engines and presents its new edition, which will take place as usual at Messe Cologne from 17 to 23 January 2022. The forthcoming event will send out a strong signal to the world that the major international trade fairs in Germany are on the move again.

"Time for Exchange' is the slogan chosen for the new phase of the recognised interior design forum. The motto makes explicit the need for transformation and at the same time the nature of imm cologne as a place for discussion, trade and sharing. imm cologne director Claire Steinbrück explains what will happen in January 2022: "It is precisely in times of upheaval that trade fairs feel the nostalgia for habits and, at the same time, the desire for change and improvement. For imm cologne this tension is very positive and an incredible opportunity. The result is the opportunity to combine traditional trade fair design with visionary ideas, combining the best of both worlds in an innovative way and creating something new that nevertheless looks familiar to us."

There are three cornerstones from which the future vision of the fair will be built: business, digital and emotion.

Business
A total of 600 exhibitors are expected at imm cologne, 74% of them international. This is a strong signal for the German industry and a sign of the fair's global ambitions. "I believe that trade fairs will remain a key marketing tool in their role as business platforms. In the context of the increasing globalisation of the furniture market, Cologne is not just about the world doing business with Germany, but increasingly about the world doing business with the world. In a market that is moving towards globalisation, imm cologne is the optimal gateway to the important German furniture market," says Steinbrück.

Digital
The digital transformation of the exhibition industry and the entire design world was already underway before the Coronavirus. The pandemic served as an enzyme for the acceleration of this process. The director of imm cologne describes the creation of the digital platform imm cologne 365: "In order to replicate our market success in the future, we had to strengthen our digital activities. However, in our deliberations, we have always focused on the condition that we do not simply extend imm cologne on the Internet (hybridisation), as many other events have done. We wanted to develop a new, futuristic concept to offer our customers a dynamic business platform that could adapt nimbly to a rapidly changing environment. With imm cologne 365 we have come up with an idea that raises the leading international trade fair to an unprecedented level to provide the industry with the best platform for business, networking and inspiration."

Emotions
"Visitors to the Cologne trade fair will see a flat block with examples of new forms of urban living. Three creative teams, consisting of Luca Nichetto, Sebastian Herkner and Studio Truly Truly, were invited to contribute to the evolution of the 'Das Haus' format on a conceptual and design level. The result is an all-round inspirational installation that brings ideas for future urban living," explains Claire Steinbrück. The imm cologne programme also includes several in-depth discussions on sustainability, circularity and innovation. Passage Cologne, on the other hand, is a city-wide festival involving the companies present at the fair.

But the transformations do not end there. For the 2023 edition, a new evolutionary step has already been imagined that will change the occupation of the halls, responding even better to the needs of visitors. The participation format and user experience are constantly being updated and will be rethought to establish a more structured dialogue with the digital offer.