Design Parade 2026: Two award-winning projects showcase the potential of European Flax-Linen and textile hemp
July 03, 2026
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From 25 to 28 June 2026, the Villa Noailles celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Design Parade interior design competition. As a partner of the competition, European Flax-Linen was honoured to have two finalists featured on this year’s list of winners with their projects.
Valentin Bayoud was awarded the Design Parade Van Cleef & Arpels Grand Prix for Interior Architecture for AQUA PRIMITIVA, created using European Flax-Linen supplied by Flipts & Dobbels.
The Public Prize for Interior Architecture went to Simon Searle and Victoire Lesthevenon for L'Observatoire, a project incorporating several European Flax-Linen and textile hemp solutions developed by BioFib, Libeco and Safilin.
Together, these award-winning projects demonstrate how European Flax-Linen and textile hemp can contribute to contemporary interior architecture, combining aesthetic, technical and environmental qualities within innovative spatial design.
Two projects highlighting the versatility of European Flax-Linen
Supported throughout their creative process by the Alliance, both winning projects explore distinctive ways of integrating European Flax-Linen into interior architecture.
Whether enhancing the sensory experience of a space or contributing to its structure and comfort, European Flax-Linen demonstrates its ability to work in harmony with natural materials while supporting new approaches to interior design. Alongside flax, textile hemp also confirms its value as both a technical and creative material.
Aqua Primitiva by Valentin Bayoud, Design Parade Van Cleef & Arpels Grand Prix
With AQUA PRIMITIVA, Valentin Bayoud reinterprets the traditional notion of the hearth, historically centred around fire, by creating a contemplative space where water becomes the new focal point for gathering.
Inspired by Mediterranean landscapes, the installation combines locally sourced stone, clay, earth plaster, wood, reed and European Flax-Linen in a restrained and natural composition. At its centre, a large curved bench invites visitors to pause, reflect and share a moment around this essential natural resource.
The bench is covered with European Flax-Linen fabric supplied by Flipts & Dobbels, a member of the Alliance. Preserved in its natural shade, the flax fabric retains its original qualities while bringing texture, softness and authenticity to the installation.
Through this approach, AQUA PRIMITIVA demonstrates how European Flax-Linen can become a genuine material for interior architecture, enriching the sensory experience of space while complementing a palette of natural materials.
Aqua Primitiva project by Valentin Bayoud
Victoire Lesthevenon and Simon Searle, with L'Observatoire (The Observatory) : Prix du Public
Awarded the Prix du Public, Simon Searle and Victoire Lesthevenon created L'Observatoire (The Observatory) as a space dedicated to contemplation, overlooking the Mediterranean landscape surrounding Villa Noailles.
Inspired by the natural topography of the Var region, the installation deliberately blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. Its colours, created using plant-based dyes, evolve throughout the day in response to changing natural light.
European Flax-Linen and textile hemp play a central role in the construction of the project. The mattress incorporates BioFib insulation made from European flax and hemp fibres, enclosed within a European Flax-Linen cover supplied by Libeco. Visitors are welcomed onto a floor rug integrating flax roving together with hemp yarns developed by Safilin.
Beyond their aesthetic qualities, European Flax-Linen and textile hemp contribute directly to the structure, comfort and identity of the installation, illustrating how these natural fibres can work together in contemporary interior architecture.
L'Observatoire (The Observatory) project by Victoire Lesthevenon and Simon Searle
Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp supports the next generation of designers
Through its partnership with Villa Noailles, Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp continues to support emerging designers by helping Design Parade finalists discover and work with certified materials Masters of FLAX FIBRE™ et Masters of LINEN™.
The Alliance works closely with its member companies to provide the materials required for each project while offering workshops, individual guidance and dedicated support through its Linen & Hemp Dream Lab showroom in Paris.
This collaboration enables young designers to explore the functional, aesthetic and environmental qualities of European Flax-Linen, alongside the creative possibilities offered by textile hemp, while strengthening connections between the textile industry and contemporary design.
The awards received at Design Parade 2026 reflect this shared commitment and demonstrate the growing role of European plant-based fibres in shaping the future of interior architecture and design.
Also worth reading on the website is the interview with Hugo Lucchino - Director-General of the Villa Noailles
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