On April 9-14, the 58th edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano will host more than 2,350 exhibitors across more than 2.2 million square feet of showroom space at the Rho Fiera Milano, in Milan. This year's show will comprise six major exhibitions, each with a distinct focus in design: the annual Salone Internazionale del Mobile (furniture), the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition (furnishing accessories, decorative accents, and textiles), the biennial Euroluce (lighting), Workplace3.0 (contract), SaloneSatellite (for work by designers under the age of 35), and S.Project (decorative and technical interior design solutions and products).
During a Feb. 13 press conference held in Milan and organized by Salone del Mobile's international press office, six manufacturers previewed product lineups that will be on display at Salone and shared insights about upcoming show events.
Manufacturer Highlights
Fritz Hansen
As part of a new rebranding campaign, Fritz Hansen is jettisoning the Republic of Fritz Hansen name, which the Danish furniture manufacturer had adopted in 2000. Although it will still target the luxury furniture market, the company is hoping to broaden its appeal to the younger generation with a series of upcoming launches that global public relations manager Line Blomqvist says are more “democratically” priced. The company is also entering the case goods category with the release of its McCobb Planner shelving collection, as well as debuting new lighting fixtures and accessory products.
Zanotta
Known for producing iconic pieces by Italian designers, such as the Castiglioni brothers, Carlo Mollini, and Ettore Sottsass, Zanotta will be debuting several new product collaborations, including Echino glass tables by Sebastian Herkner, Tusa armchairs by Rodolfo Dordoni, a small armchair by Constance Guisset, and a series of tables by Pierre Charpin. Additionally, the company will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of launching the Sacco beanbag chair at its Milan showroom.
Jumbo Group
Italian furniture manufacturer Jumbo Group will introduce new products from each of its five brands: Jumbo Collection, Roberto Cavalli Home, Etro Home Interiors, JCP, and Gianfranco Ferré Home.
Nemo Lighting
Milan-based Nemo Lighting will be exhibiting products from its Masters collection, which includes never-before-produced concepts by architects and designers such as Le Corbusier, Vico Magistretti, Franco Albini, Charlotte Perriand, and Kazuhide Takahama. The collection also features more recent pieces, such as Bird by Bernhard Osann, which won a Design Plus award at Light+Building last year. Nemo Lighting will also hold a special event featuring Mario Bellini’s Cloud.
Living Divani
At this year's show, Living Divani will unveil a limited-edition furniture collection and Floyd-Hi bed by Lissoni, a floor-to-ceiling shelving system, lighting fixtures, and accessories. The family-owned furniture manufacturer, based in Como, Italy, will feature a special exhibition at the Palazzo Crivelli in Milan to celebrate its 50th anniversary and its 30th year of collaborating with Italian designer Piero Lissoni.
Kartell
In conjunction with its 70th anniversary, Kartell will debut “The Art Side of Kartell,” an exhibition charting the company's notable milestones and product introductions, and their relationship to the evolution of trends in contemporary art and design. The exhibition will run from April 10 to May 12 at the Palazzo Reale in Milan.
Other Salone Events
Coinciding with the quincentennial of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, this year’s Salone will see the debut of two temporary installations ahead of a citywide celebration to commemorate the Italian Renaissance master. Created by the locally based event organizer Balich Worldwide Shows and its managing partner and chairman Marco Balich, “Aqua. Leonardo’s Vision” draws inspiration from da Vinci’s studies of water. Featuring a large LED screen display of the city skyline, the exhibit aims to transform the Conca dell’Incoronata canal lock into a multimedia meditation on the future of Milan. A glass-enclosed environment immerses visitors in water-themed sounds and images.
The second installation, "De-Signo. the Art of Italian Design Before and After Leonardo da Vinci," is created by Davide Rampello, curator of Pavilion Zero at Expo Milano 2015, and Italian architect Alessandro Colombo. Sited on the Rho Milano fairgrounds, this 4,305-square-foot multimedia exhibit will also illustrate da Vinci’s approach to design, featuring two 20-foot by 10-foot access portals handcrafted out of wood and modeled after drawings by Bramante, a contemporary of da Vinci.
While exploring the packed streets of Italy’s second largest city, visitors can also stop by the 22nd Triennale di Milano "Broken Nature: Design Takes on Human Survival," a group exhibition curated by MoMA senior curator Paola Antonelli that explores the power of design to deter climate change. The show, on view from March 1 to Sept. 1 at La Triennale di Milano building, includes a multimedia installation by Arup and Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the life cycle of materials.
Salone del Mobile.Milano will take place April 9–14 at the Rho Fiera Milano in Milan.
