Frieze may be more celebrated, but true aesthetes also make time for the Pavilion of Art and Design, the only fair that showcases both 20th-century and contemporary furniture, design, jewellery and art. 

Known simply as PAD, it was founded by Parisian antique dealer Patrick Perrin, initially in his home city and, shortly afterwards, in London. This October, running concurrently with Frieze, PAD’s 17th edition will once again be housed in its high-end black tent in Berkeley Square, Mayfair. PAD is essentially for collectors, interior designers, art consultants and the odd retired footballer with a robust bank account (David Beckham was spotted browsing last year, although it’s unclear if he bought anything).

However, anyone with an interest in design could easily spend the best part of a day browsing collectibles from 67 internationally renowned galleries from 20 countries. 

Above all, PAD is a sui generis fair, with its focus on craftsmanship and good old-fashioned attention to detail; it’s all about the pursuit of beauty and the importance of being surrounded by things in the home that bring pleasure. Despite its popularity, Perrin has no intention of expanding the fair.

As a fan of consistency rather than vulgar ambition, he’s unequivocal that it works perfectly well as it is. Perrin, who has said that the main change in the past few decades is a shift from 20th to 21st-century design, is always keen to give young, up-and-coming galleries a chance, as well as those from countries not previously included in the fair. 

This year there will not only be 11 new galleries led by, as PAD puts it, ‘bold young dealers energising the design world with their fresh perspective and playful new modes of storytelling’, but also the first-ever participant from the Middle East. Pik’d, based in Beirut, brings together both Lebanese designers and internationally celebrated artists who specialise in unique ceramic and glass pieces. 

Highlights from contemporary design include work by the London gallery Fumi, which has been welcomed by PAD for years. Last year it showed off a gorgeous oak and brass wall cabinet by Francesco Perini; this year it will unveil a series of ceramic chairs by Max Lamb in collaboration with 1882 Ltd, a contemporary ceramics factory based in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Crockery chairs (2024) are made out of slip-cast earthenware from hand-carved plaster models and although they are described as functional, they look more decorative. I can’t imagine sitting on one for long, but then that’s the point; Lamb has taken a delicate ceramic piece and asked you to trust him by putting your body weight on it. I’m not sure I could get comfortable on Bethan Laura Wood’s Meisen Chair (2024) either, but its lime-green velvet is nothing short of euphoric; the English designer’s passion for colour is contagious and it’s no wonder she has collaborated with the likes of Hermès and Dior.

Fumi will also premiere a new design piece by the San Francisco artist Jesse Schlesinger. Working in sculpture, site-specific installation, drawing and photography, he is a second-generation carpenter who works with salvaged wood to create stunning pieces; at PAD you will be able to marvel at c.o. II (2025), a piece of redwood covered in bluey-green automotive paint. 

Elsewhere in contemporary design, the French designer Guillaume Bardet, who was commissioned to make the liturgical furniture as part of the restoration of Notre-Dame, is having fun with floor lamps: Promenade (2024) is made from bronze with a protective wax coating and looks as though it’s escaped from a Pixar movie. 

The highly respected Indian product designer Vikram Goyal, who has degrees in engineering and development economics from Princeton, works closely with master artisans to create statement furniture such as Grand Castello Console (2023), which was crafted by cladding brass over wood and recalls the architectural elements of a castle. Call me old-fashioned, but my favourite section is always what PAD refers to as “historic design exhibitors” – in other words, 20th-century designers. 

Three London galleries are showcasing work by designers at the peak of their game. The Portuondo Gallery will feature two stunning armchairs by the underrated Italian designer and architect Gustavo Pulitzer from the mid-’50s (which I would most definitely sit on for long spells) and a painting by Fernand Léger. Meanwhile, Gallery BR will show a series of pieces from Modernist masters, including the wooden Aile d’avion desk by self-taught French metalworker and designer Jean Prouvé. 

Finally, Rose Uniacke gallery will present a plywood dining table by the Finnish modern master Alvar Aalto – it is the first time the table has ever been up for sale. Even if you don’t have any intention to buy, PAD London is well worth visiting, as you might do a gallery. There really isn’t a better way to explore exceptional design, old and new, from around the world. 

PAD London runs from 14-19 October; padesignart.com