Decorex: London Design Festival's unashamedly glamorous side

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For nearly 40 years, Decorex International has showcased an unashamedly glamorous side of interior design. It's where exquisite hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper sits alongside modern handwoven tapestry from The Rug Company and contemporary mosaic by Domus.

The 39th edition of Decorex returns this month to the suitably palatial grounds of Syon Park, the historic West London abode of the Duke of Northumberland. This year's theme is "the roots of design", a subject to be discussed in seminars from House & Garden magazine editor Hatta Byng, critic Corinne Julius (who has also curated this year's Future Heritage – an annual exhibition of new work from up-and-coming designers) and craftsman Sebastian Cox.

"By looking at the roots of design, we can continue to make things that don't adhere to short-lived trends," Cox said of this year’s theme. "We can make things that remain beautiful for centuries."

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Indeed, taking inspiration from the past doesn't mean being mired in it. Future Heritage and Decorex serve as a platform for emerging talent, and the trade fair's many collaborative projects and installations give Britain's most exciting designers an opportunity to try something new.

Award-winning group 1508 London is designing this year's Champagne Bar, hailed as the talking point of the show. The task of creating the bar has previously fallen to such acclaimed designers as Russell Sage, the brains behind interior schemes at Dishoom and Jason Atherton's Social Eating House, and Shoreditch restaurateurs Les Trois Garcons.

Since forming in 2010, the 1508 team has swiftly developed a reputation for creating innovative residential and commercial spaces that bring the personality of the client into the design, such as the transformation of a former Victorian post office into a modern apartment. The proposed Champagne Bar, though contemporary in design, is inspired by the "roots of classical architecture", says 1508 creative director Louise Wicksteed. "Our space explores a deconstructed version of classicism," she explains. "The simple geometric shapes, sculptural details and paired-back palette will create an elegant but playful installation."

Another unmissable Decorex highlight, quite literally, is the show's entrance – the design of which is curated each year by a leading name in the industry. The project is usually a collaborative effort, such as the ambitious 2014 undertaking of architect Nigel Coates, who commissioned designers including Timorous Beasties, Retrouvius and de Gournay to each reinterpret a vignette from Hogarth's masterpiece, A Rake's Progress. This year, the honour has been passed to British furniture designer Tim Gosling, who has put the humble chair in the spotlight with his exhibition, "The Heritage of Chair Making". Working alongside the V&A and the Frederick Parker Collection, Gosling has asked a dozen notable creatives – among them Jasper Conran, Jo Malone and Sir Paul Smith – to each select their favourite piece from the historic collections and explain what it is about that particular item that speaks to them.

"The UK has some of the most important furniture collections in the world, but due to conservation it is not always possible to put them on public display," Gosling explains. "I am delighted to be curating an exhibition of chairs, which includes many of these rare and extraordinary pieces."

Decorex International runs from 18 to 21 September 2016; decorex.com