The 1925 exposition that gave Art Deco its name was held in Paris.
Its official title was the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, or International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. The French government organized it to showcase contemporary architecture, furniture, interior design, glass, jewelry, textiles and other applied arts. The exhibition occupied a large area between Les Invalides and the Grand Palais, with displays on both sides of the Seine.
The exposition opened in April 1925 and closed on November 8 after attracting more than 16 million visitors. Its pavilions presented a polished, luxurious style built around symmetry, geometric patterns, rich materials and stylized decoration. The event became the defining public showcase of the movement later called Art Deco, a shortened form derived from “arts décoratifs.”
Paris is sometimes confused with New York because New York’s skyscrapers became among the world’s most famous Art Deco landmarks. However, the style’s name and its major international launch came from the Paris exposition. The fair also included modernist experiments, including Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret’s Pavilion of the New Spirit.