The Cote d'Azur has inspired generations of artists and designers, so it's no surprise that it is emerging as a locus for the international design scene. The eighth annual Design Parade, a three-day festival and competition at the Villa Noailles, the iconic Modernist house overlooking the French city of Hyères, opens to the public on Friday. It features the work of 10 young designers from Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Italy, who will exhibit their work to an international jury, with one taking home the Grand Prix. This year's festival also includes, among others, exhibitions devoted to the work of the architect and furniture designer Marcel Breuer, and a collaboration between the Dutch designer Aldo Bakker and the French porcelain manufacturer Sèvres. Winning isn't everything, however. As the Dutch designer Bertjan Pot, the president of this year's jury, explained, "It's a conversation starter - a rare and special opportunity for the young designers." The student offerings range from the conceptual (a mirror by Claire Lavabre that uses a glass pane and a wall painting to distort reflections, playing with viewers" perceptions) to the functional (Stephanie Hornig's camping-inspired daybed and bookshelf, which can be easily packed up and moved). The jury will look beyond the projects themselves, also examining the thinking that informs them. "I hope they show a bit of a world, not just one object," Pot said. As the guest of honor, Pot curated "Tricks and Flicks," a lively exhibition of his own work, in the Villa's converted swimming pool and squash rooms. The nearly 60 objects on view in underline his refreshingly sideways approach to the design process, in which he pushes notions of traditional production and manufacturing techniques to come up with innovative solutions. The show includes both finished objects, like the knit-covered "Jumper" chair (2012) for Established & Sons, and experimental pieces, like the inflatable "LED Zeppelin" light (2010). Pot has also repurposed a design commissioned for the spine of Apartmento magazine as wallpaper that covers the exhibition walls, where several of Pot's colorful rope masks hang. It's a sweeping survey that cleverly unrolls the designer's career to date. Design Parade runs from July 5 to July 7, with exhibitions open through Sept. 29; villanoailles-hyeres.com.