Milan is always exciting, as Italy’s historic heart of design, manufacturing and fashion. But it is especially so during the week of Salone del Mobile. Every April, the annual furniture fair sees the streets overflowing as thousands of makers, curators, and buyers convene for a week’s worth of inspiration, conversation, antipasti and aperitivi. In fact, 2024 had a record-breaking 3.5 lakh plus people attend, to see over 1,950 exhibitors from 35 countries.
I always prefer to arrive on Sunday, to wander the fair before the crowds find it. It is when the locals come as well. This year there were more people from outside the design fraternity joining the throng, with hour-long queues at events such as the annual installation by Milanese firm Dimorestudio and the launch of French luxury brand Hermès’ interiors collection. It spilled over to the satellite fair Alcova’s takeover of Villa Borsani, Modernist architect Osvaldo Borsani’s former home, and the 19th-century Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, too. A 45-minute drive away, it featured 80 exhibitors from 27 countries.
There were several trends to be noted, across Salone and Fuorisalone (the series of fringe events and installations across the city held at the same time): innovative tables were ubiquitous, as were interesting vessels and table toppers. But the dominant one was the collaborations between luxury fashion maisons and designers — from Bottega Veneta X Le Corbusier Foundation to Yves Saint Laurent X Gio Ponti archive.
