Converting a ListView to DX.GridControl throws a Null Exception in IsDesignMode

Question

I am trying to convert a ListView that had performance issue to a DevExpress GridControl.

When showing the grid, it throws the following exception :

InnerException  {System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at DevExpress.Xpf.About.IsDesignMode()
   at DevExpress.Xpf.About.ShouldShowAbout()
   at DevExpress.Xpf.About.ShowAbout(Boolean isExp)}    System.Exception {System.NullReferenceException}

This is a Trial license of DevExpress, I found that this call of ShowAbout is specific in the trial.

The XAML to create the control looks like this :

    <dxg:GridControl AutoGenerateColumns="AddNew" EnableSmartColumnsGeneration="True" 
       model:Connect.ToVM="{Binding Model, Mode=OneWay, IsAsync=True}" Visibility="{Binding Visibility, Mode=OneWay}">
        <dxg:GridControl.View>
            <dxg:TableView AllowPerPixelScrolling="True" ShowTotalSummary="False"/>
        </dxg:GridControl.View>
    </dxg:GridControl>

ViewModel has nothing specific, just binds to the Model. The Model handles the creation of the TableView, GridColumns, data.

Am I missing something in the initialization of the control which could cause this ? What is IsDesignMode calling that is Null ?