Material innovation also featured heavily. Mycoworks showcased its Reishi biomaterial in a dedicated Paris space, highlighting how alternative materials are increasingly moving from concept into real-world applications. Designers including Maria Bruun and Cecilie Manz were associated with projects exploring tactility, sustainability, and restraint.

Emerging designers were given visibility through platforms such as Paris Design Week Factory, which brought together international studios, design schools, and independent makers. Exhibitions in areas like the Marais emphasised experimentation and process, offering a counterpoint to larger commercial showcases.

Historic locations played an important role. Installations at sites such as Hôtel de la Marine placed contemporary work within architectural heritage, encouraging dialogue between old and new. These interventions helped extend the event beyond the design community and into the wider public realm. Gallery programming added further depth. Galerie Gastou marked its anniversary with works by figures including Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini, while houses like Pierre Frey and Lelièvre presented updated collections that combined colour, craft, and pattern.

Across ten days, Paris Design Week 2025 reflected a broad spectrum of contemporary design, balancing established names with emerging voices and reinforcing Paris’s role as a global meeting point for creative practice.