Paris luminary to present at fair

28 October 2010

Mary Shaw, the Paris-based creator of leading home décor brand Sequana, will be a key speaker at the industry seminar series taking place at the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) and Decoration + Design (D+D) from 2-4 February 2011.

Widely considered ahead of her time when she launched her richly coloured and textured brand in the late nineties, Shaw continues to break new ground in colour and design.

Her presentation in February will visit themes central to her work including the power and magic of colour - touching on greens, neutrals, pastels, black & white and reds, as well as textures and fabrics including woods & metals, ceramics & glass. Shaw will also analyse the concept of home comfort, the link between indoor and outdoor living and the latest trends and developments in her home city of Paris.

Speaking to Furniture Fair Online ahead of her Sydney presentation, Shaw said her inspiration came from many sources, "first and foremost by my association with nature and in particular my colour palette. The central and key element of my work is anchored in colour and textures. The heritage of my Irish origins plays a big role, and living in France for so many years has been inspirational."

"The aspect of my working life that I savour most is working and creating lines of products with artisans, from fabric, to furniture, glass and ceramics. I appreciate their dedication and total commitment, very often perpetuating traditions and savoir faire that go back several generations. I relish working with these talents to create new contemporary products and, just as important, creating the background and environment to show how these can all be put together for everyday living. "The use of colour is one the biggest changes/key trends currently influencing the home furnishing markets. When I created Sequana in 1997 nobody was into colour; quite the reverse, which is why Sequana created such a buzz."

Of Irish origin, Shaw is married to a Frenchman and has lived in Paris, France
for over 20 years. In December 1997 she created Sequana, the name she gave to an innovative concept embracing a wide range of specially created quality products including furniture, textile fabrics, ceramics, glass and decorative items. Success was instant, with an exhibition sale of the concept introduced via 31 Neiman Marcus stores in the US in 1998.

A January 2010 recipient of the prestigious prize Decouvert at the Maison et Objet Editors Fair in Paris, Shaw's work has also recently penetrated the publishing world. In April 2010 a book titled ‘A L'Ecole de Mary Shaw' was published by Chene, Hachette.

Sequana is distributed in Australia by Tigger Hall.

www.sequana.net
www.tiggerhall.com

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