As Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2022 celebrated a whopping 60th anniversary a year late, after a two-year pandemic hiatus, we were fortunate enough to experience the iconic fair — with over 200 exhibitors in full force once again — and can report that it is still one of the best design events on the planet.
This year was also the first time a woman was chosen as president. The head of marketing and communication at iconic Italian furniture brand Porro SpA, Maria Porro (38), brought a fresh and untraditional approach to the fair thanks to her background in theatre set design. In a brief interview during the fair, she gave us heartfelt words of hope for what she wanted to accomplish during her tenure, showing true devotion to the Salone family and its followers.
Salone del Mobile: 13 highlights from this year's Milan Design Week
Our décor director Leana Schoeman shares some of the highlights at Milan’s Salone del Mobile held last month
Image: Supplied
As Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2022 celebrated a whopping 60th anniversary a year late, after a two-year pandemic hiatus, we were fortunate enough to experience the iconic fair — with over 200 exhibitors in full force once again — and can report that it is still one of the best design events on the planet.
This year was also the first time a woman was chosen as president. The head of marketing and communication at iconic Italian furniture brand Porro SpA, Maria Porro (38), brought a fresh and untraditional approach to the fair thanks to her background in theatre set design. In a brief interview during the fair, she gave us heartfelt words of hope for what she wanted to accomplish during her tenure, showing true devotion to the Salone family and its followers.
Louis Vuitton celebrates its Objets Nomades collection with five new pieces
With global product manufacturing returning to full capacity this year, we saw the launch of many exciting and brand-new collections and product releases. Here we showcase just a few that caught our attention during this crazy and wonderful week with (a rather large crowd of) our fellow dedicated followers of design.
1. Timeless minimalism
The Lost light, designed by Italian design studio BrogliatoTraverso for Magis, perfectly captures their goal to craft timeless objects that fit any context, and comes closer to being a sculptural installation than a traditional light. Magisdesign.com
Image: Supplied
2. Lighting the way
Flexia, designed by Mario Cucinella, is a play on material, colour, and light with graphic shapes reminiscent of Japanese origami. Flexible wings can be adjusted to control light quality, while an acoustic panel section controls reverberation and absorbs soundwaves. artemide.com
Image: Supplied
3. Organic contours:
Cacti, a new collection of soft furnishings by architect Fadi Yachoui of Beirut’s Atelier L’inconnu, caused quite a stir at this year’s 23rd edition of Salone Satellite. Drawing inspiration from cacti, the collection embodies an inviting and organic aesthetic. atelierlinconnu.com
Image: Supplied
4. Creative strokes:
This year sees another exciting list of creative collaborations by rug manufacturer cc-tapis. The Stroke collection by Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis is the product of envisioning a room as a blank canvas and a paint stroke as the starting point. cc-tapis.com
Image: Supplied
5. Material integrity:
German brand e15’s hand-crafted pieces embody the beauty of sustainably sourced raw materials. The Ilma lounge chair by Finnish designer Jonas Lutz reignites our love of Scandi design, while the Stop onyx bookends celebrate the raw stone. e15.com
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
6. Understated luxury:
The Roger sofa, designed by Rodolfo Dordoni in collaboration with Minotti, brings tailor-made comfort and design to a seating system aimed at open-plan living. The design offers a multitude of configurations and interpretations, executed with skilfully tailored craftsmanship. Minotti.com
Image: Supplied
7. Seventies revival:
Le Mura, designed by Mario Bellini in 1972, was a high point in Italian design and has recently been rediscovered by Tacchini. Now, this iconic modular sofa has been reissued. It’s the ultimate statement piece, no matter the colour, textile, or, evidently, time period. Tacchini.it
Image: Supplied
8. Sculptural landscapes:
One of the most impressive qualities of Belgium’s Atelier Vierkant when it comes to landscape design is the scale and material integrity of its fired-clay vessels. Its latest collection continues to deliver, with the faceted and textured Anthos and Amadas designs among our favourites. Ateliervierkant.com
Image: Supplied
9. Sensory seating:
Moroso’s recent collaboration with Swedish design duo Anna Lindgren and Sofia Lagerkvist of Front Design has elevated the modular seating system to a sensory experience. Pebble Rubble consists of seats and backrests that echo organic shapes. You can create your own unique configuration from infinite arrangement possibilities. Moroso.it
Image: Supplied
10. Nature in motion:
Croatia’s Milla & Milli charmed us with its eco-luxury collection of furniture that derives its unique fluid shapes and materials from nature. The use of solidwood textures combined with Sahara Noir black marble and steel gives its Bloom dining table a timeless look and feel. The collection also includes coffee tables, a cabinet, and a sideboard. millamilli.com
Image: Supplied
11. A state of play:
You can always rely on the Spaniards to bring some playfulness to the world of furniture design, and Sancal’s Loop sofa is no exception. It is available in soft “monocolourways”, and the rounded sculptural shape gives it a stylish retro feel. sancal.com
Image: Supplied
12. Carving a legacy:
With a long history of craftsmanship, Zanat’s unique visual identity reflects a primitive Bosnian hand-carving technique. Its new collection brings this craft to life with seats, cabinets, and décor items that showcase new and unusual applications. zanat.org
Image: Supplied
13. Cooking gets sexy:
Fabita, which specialises in induction and vitroceramic hobs, has the design world buzzing over its new collection. Our favourite, the Battista induction hob by Adriano Design, is a compact personal cooking assistant that is freestanding and multifunctional. fabita.it
Image: Supplied
You might also like...
Structural architecture & simple interiors come together in this holiday home
Sculpting our relationship to nature
Latitudes Online creates truly African art marketplace