Salone Del Mobile 2025

minute read

Salone Del Mobile 2025

Thought for humans – a focus on light – a festival of furniture

I first visited il Salone del mobile in the late 1980’s with my mother, she had been invited by a friend of hers, a Murano glass dealer who was exhibiting. Little did I know as a young boy the effect this creative sector would have on me. Then, it was held in a location that is now City Life and was known as La Fiera Campionaria. The site has been transformed into a modern development of high-rise offices and apartment buildings designed by some of the most progressive and dynamic architects, to name drop a few - Zaha Hadid, Arata Isozaki, Daniel Libeskind and Andrea Maffei.

I remember being fixated by what I saw at La Fiera Campionaria, it was the era of Phillipe Starck, Tom Dixon and Jasper Morrison (later in life the Elan sofa by Jasper Morrison for Cappellini was the first design piece I went on to buy). Although I did not follow the path of design (I had a slightly bigger love affair with the real estate sector) now more than ever I see the importance that the power of presentation has and with the theme this year being “thought for humans” it resonates so much with the real estate industry. A place to live in is more than just a roof over our heads, it has for many of us become our happy place, a place of comfort and wellbeing, a place to bring us joy, a place for us to think.

This year I was back re visiting il Salone del mobile to get my furniture and design fix. It is important to understand that the events at Rho and throughout the city are enormous, huge, vast. However fast you think you are at getting around Milan, in the seven days that the event takes place you will be lucky to see half of the shows and exhibitions, so if you are visiting in the future, plan and prepare. Once again, I stayed with close friends in Brera, the heart of Milan’s design district and a great central location. There was most definitely an air of excitement in Milan this year with the unveiling of new designs and ideas to enhance and grace our homes.

My first stop was at Rho, the Mecca of il Salone. Many brands will have their mega show rooms in the centre of the city, but with over 300,000 visitors at Rho this is where you must be seen to exhibit, it becomes the biggest shop window in the world.

This year saw the return of Euroluce the International lighting exhibition, with over 300 exhibitors it is the most important Biennale globally devoted to lighting design. Held at Rho in four extensive pavilions designed by the architect Massimiliano Fuksas, the spaces were devoted to the very best forms of lighting. Expressive, playful, refined, reflecting the importance that light can bring into our lives, light can affect our moods, our thoughts, condition our behaviour as well as our wellbeing.

From stark white to vibrant tones, lighting has the power to change space helping to create ambience in the home, workplace and outdoor areas. Euroluce was a beacon of colour, not just about form and design but taking into consideration technology and sustainability using progressive materials that are renewable and recyclable promoting thought and responsibility.

Rho’s importance is expressed by its sheer size and whilst Euroluce took centre stage this year, 12 other pavilions were exhibiting the very finest furniture with some well-known and notable brands. It is an energetic place and you certainly need plenty of energy as I calculated walking 16km in one day alone making my way from pavilion to pavilion.

Global interior brands make their best efforts to engage, with gifts, dazzling shows, talks, but more importantly presentation of their prizes. A simply red offering from Kartell expressing the colour of energy and passion, Moooi’s light-hearted aura of luminous sculptures merging craftmanship with a twist of modernity, the elegance and sophistication of Minotti with its stenographic project and Caligaris encouraging us to bring nature into our homes.

Later I was back in town where I stopped at Luini, a bakery dating to 1888 that prepares the best Panzerotti in Milan and then to an extraordinary event on the roof tops of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Designed by the architect Giuseppe Mengoni in 1861 the galleria is a Milanese masterpiece located between Il Duomo and La Scala opera house. Here I was invited by a dear close friend Lavinia, to see an exhibition of Rossi di Albizzate’s most iconic pieces reviving some of their historic collections. It was a cool late afternoon, but the location, views and designs made it one of the most memorable evenings. My last event of the day was at Galleria Maiocchi, near Porta Venezia to see the new artwork and glassware by Enrico Benetta Da Ros with his skilful use of Iron, steel and glass presenting reflections of thought and where the soul reaches.

Brera, the heart of the design district is a must location to visit during Il Salone del mobile, here you embrace the real Milano. It is part of “fuori Salone” with a fusion of the finest design stores coupled with an energetic atmosphere. It is super busy and yes you will need to queue for many of the events, but Brera takes design for the home to a whole new level.

Presented at La Pelota, historically a playing field and now the most sought-after venue in the city, Hermes, with designs by Charlotte Macaux Perelman its artist director, exhibited new creations with suspended structures, colourless at first glance with projecting halos, an ingenious presentation. Missoni with RODA presented one of the most sophisticated collaborations, a partnership of excellence in textiles and outdoor furniture creating a refined experience, it was one of many events this year expressing the importance of outdoor living.

Gardens, terraces, even the smallest of balconies are most definitely not taking second place to interiors, the boundaries between home and garden are most definitely moving closer.

Tortona located in the southern part of Milan is a neighbourhood that is proud of its industrial roots and which has in the last 20 years become a growing collective of creative minds combining technology, art, nature and sustainability. Away from the glamourous events closer to the centre of the city, Tortona questions us to think about the evolution of materials. It is a hub of social change and reflection where today’s waste is tomorrow’s creation, it is a place of experimentation, innovation addressing environmental challenges. I visited many exceptional events with Superstudio dedicating its space to the theme of happiness, Superstudio Piu’ hosting a curated exhibition by Giulio Cappellini combining the best of Made in Italy designs of the last 25 years and Saint Laurent presenting Charlotte Perriand, a key figure of 20^th Century modernism with timeless pieces from her unseen rosewood/cane furniture collection in Padiglione Visconti.

Tortona is the engine of change, challenges and new ideas, paying attention to new technologies, AI and increasing the use of sustainable materials, it is a combination of functionality and education.

With one day left and luckily, tickets for three special events, I was back in the city centre. My first visit was Mosca Partners who returned to Palazzo Litta, considered to be one of the finest examples of Lombard Baroque dating to the mid 1600’s, adorned with an elegant façade, imposing telamons, internal courtyard and manicured gardens. A very international exhibition with over 24 participants with a powerful message by Korean architect Byoung Cho that “Nobody owns the land” reflecting a world where creativity knows no boundaries.

Es Devlin the English artist and stage designer collaborating with Feltrinelli created an
18-meter-high revolving circular library in the 17^th century Cortile d’Onore of the Pinacoteca di Brera, one of Milan’s most noted museums. It was by day a library of light, imagination and memory and at night transforming into a glowing orb of shadows.

Back in Moscova, possibly the most dynamic event was Dimorestudio and Loro Piana, their presentations are usually the most anticipated. Held in Loro Piana’s Cortile della Seta, the luxury fashion brand transports you back to the 1970’s. “La prima notte di Quiete” (The first night of peace) begins in total darkness. A phone rings, a piano plays, there is the gentle sound of rain. With strobe lighting you begin to make sight of a huge apartment with 6 meter ceilings, were room by room an interesting event has taken place. The bed is unmade, the bath is overflowing, plates have been smashed but the furniture and lighting are impeccable - a brilliant cinematic fiction to end my stay in Milan.

Il Salone del mobile once again inspires, fascinates and surprises, it is progressive as well as having the power to challenge. Milan remains the driver of interior ideas for our homes and workplaces promoting beaty, style and taste but being conscious in sustainability and protecting the environment around us.