As we navigate a world defined by transition and transformation, a deeper cultural current is shaping the direction of contemporary design: a demand for authenticity. With the theme KEEP IT REAL, this year’s 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen embraces the raw, the honest, and the deeply personal—where expression isn’t curated for approval but lived with intention.
Designers and brands are responding by leaning into emotion, sustainability, and individuality. The future isn’t a fixed destination—it’s unfolding in the present moment, expressed through fluid forms, tactile materials, and lighting that evokes rather than impresses.

Expressive Lighting: Where Design Meets Emotion
Lighting becomes more than function—it is narrative, ambiance, and experience.
At the heart of this evolution, Tom Dixon introduces THE SHOP, a tactile and expressive microstore in central Copenhagen, offering visitors a first look at the AW25 novelties—SOFT, WHIRL, and POSE—each piece balancing bold materiality with user-centered innovation. Just steps away, Flos presents a refined interplay between fragility and power in its latest decorative collections, curated at the Martin Asbæk Gallery with works by Anastassiades, Grcic, and the Bouroullec brothers, while also unveiling The Glowing Track, a modular lighting system that bridges architecture and poetry.

Marset continues its dialogue between emotion and function, emphasizing atmosphere over impact. Their latest collection explores the emotional texture of interiors through warm materials and subtle, ambient light. At FRAMING, Luceplan furthers this ethos, collaborating with Mandalaki and Odile Decq on pieces that unite sensory precision with technical sophistication—light becomes not only visible but tangible. Similarly, Aromas del Campo contributes a Mediterranean spirit to the fair, merging clay, wood, and blown glass in serene compositions that channel both heritage and innovation.

Comfort-Driven Living and Timeless Design
As homes transform into places of restoration, the focus turns to intimacy, tactility, and emotional expression.
At The Conary, the presentation Gestures of Home captures this sentiment through the work of Saba, whose poetic softness and female-led vision reframe domestic space as a canvas for self-expression. In parallel, Molteni&C debuts a refined collaboration with GamFratesi, where Danish minimalism finds harmony with Italian sophistication—each design detail crafted with quiet emotional depth. Adding an open-air dimension, Kettal brings the outdoors into the conversation with pieces that balance structure and comfort, encouraging natural flow between retreat and interaction.

Adaptive Solutions for Evolving Spaces
In the hybrid world of today, the ability to adapt has become a design imperative.
USM Modular Furniture embraces this challenge through a sculptural mirror installation, reframing the classic Haller system as both art object and agile solution. The seamless integration of form and function underscores USM’s continued relevance across domestic and professional settings. Debuting in Copenhagen, Narbutas expands this narrative with a pop-up experience that weaves together sustainability, acoustic sensitivity, and softness. Their furniture—developed through international collaborations—demonstrates how design can support productivity without sacrificing calm, aesthetic coherence, or care for the environment.

Design with a Visionary Voice
Design becomes storytelling—immersive, reflective, and emotionally intelligent.
At Asia House, Lee Broom stages From Here Now, a meditative journey through more than 70 lighting pieces, culminating in the debut of Chant, a portable table lamp. His installation evokes memory and metaphor, transforming light into narrative and presence into atmosphere.

The 2025 edition of 3daysofdesign highlights how authenticity in design today means moving forward with intention. Across different approaches, there’s a shared focus on clarity, emotion, and thoughtful creation.
KEEP IT REAL is more than a theme—it reflects a collective mindset. A reminder to approach design—and everyday life—with honesty, relevance, and awareness.