An Ateliers d’Art de France event

HERITAGE & ART DECO: THE LEGACY OF THE FUTURE

Heritage & Art Deco : the legacy of the future

Atelier Philippe Allemand – Cabines de la compagnie Venise Simplon Orient Express © Denis POURCHER

To mark the centenary of the 1925 Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, the International Heritage Fair will devote its 30ᵉ edition to this emblematic artistic and architectural movement, which transformed the aesthetics of the first half of the 20th century and whose influence continues to structure our urban landscapes, to mobilise skills of excellence and to question the contemporary issues of heritage preservation and transmission.

© Atelier de Ricou, palais-de-la-porte-dorée

All it takes is a wrought-iron scroll, a geometric staircase or a zigzag motif for Art Deco to catch your eye.

Born in the inter-war years, this artistic movement, both flamboyant and rigorous, embodies a delicious paradox: celebrating modernity… while at the same time becoming a heritage treasure. And so Art Deco, that aesthete with the striped tie and the Gatsby smile, is now safely enshrined in the Heritage Hall of Fame.

Art Deco occupies a special place in the abundance of styles that have marked our history: bold and structured, modern and refined, it is the expression of a world in the throes of change. Born in the 1920s, driven by a spirit of optimism and reconstruction, it symbolises an era that, after the chaos of the past, resolutely believed in progress… and elegance.

Marble, brass, mahogany, engraved glass: the materials themselves speak of the ambition of a new world. From Casablanca to Miami, Boulogne-Billancourt to Shanghai, Art Deco has left a global – and skilfully calibrated – mark.

Today, Art Deco is part of our heritage. It adorns our cities, inspires our creators and mobilises our restorers. But it’s not just a matter of contemplation. This style, born of a dialogue between industry, art and craft, speaks to the professional world with astonishing relevance. Preserving the Art Deco heritage is, of course, about safeguarding an aesthetic legacy. But it also, and above all, means maintaining a living link with the skills of excellence: ironwork, cabinet-making, stained glass, mosaics, gilding… so many trades that are still working today to pass on this memory while reinventing it.

Artisans play a central role in this process. They know that a stylised capital is not a decorative whim, but the fruit of know-how and intention. Thanks to them, the Art Deco heritage is not just surviving: it is regenerating, inspiring contemporary creators, irrigating schools, and feeding into design, fashion and scenography.

Restauration du Lycée Hélène Boucher Paris, Vitraux Louis Barillet © Ateliers Duchemin

© La Maison du Vitrail 

Through this theme, the fair pays tribute to the creative and restorative craftspeople, as well as to the architects who preserve or reinterpret this unique heritage, and questions the place of Art Deco in contemporary creation.

Among the new features this year’s edition, the entrance of the fair will be redesigned and reinvigorated to welcome new exhibitors showcasing Art Deco creations, such as the art cabinetmaking workshop Constant M Furniture. Historic exhibitors at the fair, such as the Ateliers Duchemin, also illustrate this emblematic aesthetic movement of modernity.

Conferences, round tables and demonstrations will provide an opportunity to rediscover the diversity of expertise associated with this major trend, and to gauge its lasting impact on our cities and interiors.

To mark the occasion, the show is renewing its visual identity, with Art Deco taking pride of place on this year’s poster, which includes works by Atelier Camuset, Féau&Cie and La Maison du Vitrail.

Discover the 2025 poster