The Tunisian Marks

The Tunisian Marks pavilion will be built around three notions: Emotions, Heritage & Icons. The visitor will be able to experience a splendid mix of emerging artists, creators, designers, and the next generation of the best new gifted young Tunisians. All gathered around the same values, and with a unique sense of openness toward the world, these designers will exhibit their visions, which originate from a long history, deeply rooted in the Tunisian tradition, but always conceived as an ode to eternal youth, and celebrating the birth of very peculiar icons.

Come across and explore our love message, hear the scream of our feelings and taste our unique flavors, hunted by thousand years of creation.

This program has been conceived by Elizabeth Krief, under the artistic and creative direction of Hejer Smaali and administred by Meriem Tamarzizt.
This program is supported by Prestige Projects ltd prestigeprojects.net, TIB (Tunisian International Bank), Talan, and many anonymous sponsors.

ARBA

Arba is dedicated to developing new housing solutions aiming at sustainability, affordability and interaction with the natural and the built environment.

Arba designs houses as functional, smooth, simple and optimal pieces. Their main purpose, ‘to serve as a dwelling’, is not separable from a second purpose: ‘allow to see through’. Such houses relate more to instruments than to buildings. As with musical instruments, lines and shapes are pure and minimal while allowing for a broad range of potential uses. The dweller is naturally involved in in a game of uses and interactions with the garden, the neighbourhood, the landscape, the sun, the light… arba.pro

Chez Nelly

Chez Nelly, is a flourishing creative and up and coming 3 years old graphic design start up company implemented in Tunisia. Its Founder and creative director, Nelly Bachon 34, is French by birth and Tunisian by heart as she lived for 20 years in Tunisia. Chez Nelly’s objectives are to provide its expertise and services to emerging and well established companies with regards to their needs in terms of branding and visual identity in Tunisia and abroad. The company prides itself in maintaining a close and direct relationship with its customers in order to better understand their needs and one another. ChezNelly

Ashref Chichini

Chichini’s inventiveness and spirit originates from his ability to gather between innovation, newness and authenticity. His creations associate sophisticated design and natural materials. His methodological approach of design produce objects with a surprising organic movement generated by a high technicality and enriched with a hint of refinement.

SPLINES collection is a declination of the same figure in three different objects. His geometrical work on spatiality refers to the influence of the Arab-andalousian pattern. The project idea started with an octagonal figure witch sharp angles where softened by a circularity. The figure that you can see in the carpet is the same that was used to create the net of the luminary. In this dialogue between an upper and a down use of the same figure the chair has the role of a medium, a link between these two dimensions. Chichini used in this distorted mirror game of geometrical objects created with natural materials (copper, glass, marble…), the complex figure of the lightning and the chair is handmade. a-chichini.com

Hend Krichen

Hend Krichen is a London-based designer whose practice manufactures and retails handmade luxury home-wares and accessories. The main focus within the practice is; producing beautiful timeless objects designed to enrich everyday lives through the use of the rich artisanal skills and craftsmanship.

Taking inspiration from different regions, Hend Krichen embraces the variety and authenticity of the crafts manufacturing platforms available across rich cultures. This approach has also helped in maintaining an ethical network of manufacturers across the various locations.

The materials Hend has chosen to work with are kept in a raw and natural form, physically revealing each country’s identity and showcasing the available natural resources through products that can be used within the home in everyday life. hendkrichen.com

I+I

“Dream, imagine, believe, create”

For ï+ï_Architects, space should be luminous, comfortable and it should have a soul. “The purpose is to translate an emotion, the fullness of an encounter, of a discovery, wherein each actor can express himself ”. Such is the attitude underlying the alchemy of their architectural projects, from the very first sketch to acceptance of works. ï+ï_Architects’ motto is to be constantly alert, open to creation and to the world while taking into consideration the specificities of Tunisian architecture, crafts, and traditional knowhow. iplusi_architectes

Mariem Besbes

Textile designer Mariem Besbes has created her own label 10 years ago, following her exhibition at the UNESCO-Paris in 2004. Since then, she has worked on specific projects with high fashion houses and stage directors for costumes such as Hermès and The Bouffes du Nord Theatre Paris. She has been adapting her know how in weaving and dying in clothes, throws and curtains, mixing many ancestrals techniques with industrial ones. After collaborating with concept store Terence Conran as well as the French emporium; Le Bon Marché.

Mariem Besbes is presenting for the NY Wanted Design 2016 a series of seats combining traditional technics of weaving, knotting and twisting threads with industrial metallic structures. Inspired by Nomadic horse saddles originating from North Africa, the project is titled ‘Sarj’- the word for ‘Saddlery’ in Arabic. mariembesbes.com

 Marlo & Isaure

MARLO & ISAURE is a contemporary objects and furniture brand. Founded in 2013 by designers Marlo Kara (Switzerland) and Isaure Bouyssonie (France). M&I selects the best industrial and local craftsman and is surrounded by international designers to develop strong brand identity.

A common thread is created between designers, manufacturers and retailers in order to make each product a collaboration of know-how. M&I keeps a close eye on the quality of production and the final price. The aim of the brand is to offer friendly products with strong personality; new and contemporary forms that meet functional and daily use. marloisaure.com

Né à Tunis

Founded in 2005 by the designer Chems Eddine Mechri, Né à Tunis is an authentic brand specialised in designing and creating lighting, furniture and accessories. Products of Né à Tunis are made from locally sourced materials. They apply traditional and modern industrial methods. This mix has given each item an aspect of uniqueness and peculiarity along with the best quality and excellent value. Responsible, ethical and identity preserving, Né à Tunis creations are inspiring the belonging to a specific environment and culture and at the same time, reflecting their universal and trending side… Thus, attracting more and more people in Europe and elsewhere. neatunis.com

Nina L

NINA L is a totally new Tunisian fashion brand designing ladies’ leather handbags and accessories. The brand was created in 2014 and offers a range of leather accessories, evening purses, briefcases and ladies’ handbags with original, sleek designs.

By developing a whole range of very high quality leathers which are natural, untreated, iridescent, gilded, screen-printed or dyed, NINA L. presents a collection centered around three flagship models alongside brooches and imported fastenings making the Nina L. handbag collection chic, casual, and absolutely on trend.

Inspired by architecture and design, the creator behind Nina L. Myriam Naili draws her inspiration from her own artistic background as well as a from her mixed French-Tunisian culture, travel experiences and human and artistic encounters.

Nina-L

Tamarzizt

Driven by passion for creation and beauty, she starts her journey by studying design before specializing in jewelry. While developing a career in Paris as a freelance designer for prestigious brands, she launched in 2012 her own brand: T A M A R Z I Z T. Her fine and original creations are inspired among other things by a rich heritage and a thirst for travel and freedom that nurture a very fertile imagination. The roots of the designer and her influences collide in a mix of colors and shapes … Her collections sometimes evoke the East, sometimes the modernity of the West: the colored latticework alongside sleek skyscrapers.

T A M A R Z I Z T creations are those of women, who just like Oumaima, treasure in her lives a patchwork of all the beauty they have crossed. tamarzizt.com

VAKAY

VAKAY is a new Eyewear brand based in Tunisia. It distinguishes itself from other brands by being in a unique position. This unique position is obtained through being the only company that manufactures handmade wooden sunglasses in the North African Country.

Focussing on production using luxurious and sustainable wood species, VAKAY matches the ethos of the eco-minded consumer. The growth of eco friendly products in popular culture combined with the passion of the design team at VAKAY and their love of natural materials has resulted in the inception of this brand. vakayeyewear.com