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Milan
showcases Italian design
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The
best of Italian and international interior design
was recently showcased at Milan's
Salone del Mobile
. For those of you who didn't make it to the show,
here are our recommendations . .
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 3000
exhibitors, 70,000 participants and more
than 200,000 visitors - these are the impressive
figures for this year's edition of the Salone del
Mobile di Milano. Consider, however that furniture
and interior design are an essential part of the
Italian design phenomenon and the figures are not
so surprising.And quite a boom it is, too! According
to Cosmit/Federlegno-Arredo
furniture sales in 2000 amounted to 44,116 billion
lire compared to the 41,107 of the previous
year - an increase of over 7%.
Japan, the United States and Germany
are the top importers of Italian furniture, which,
thanks to its originality and flexibility of design
can still hold its own in a highly competitive market.
What the secret of this success? Passion and
professionalism, according to design star Philippe
Starck, who prefers to work with
the likes of Claudio Luti from Kartell, Enrico
Astori from Driade and Alberto Alessi from
Alessi "because they love each design
project, they love it with a passion".
Italian furniture "capitals" are the unlikely
trio of Brianza, Pesaro and the Triveneto area,
where design classics, produced by relatively small
companies are exported to countries all over the
world.
Trends and trendies
The latest trends and tendencies in fashion
and interior design reflect each other more and
more. And that's not just in the superstar designers
and post-collection party circuit but also in the
choice of materials and prevailing themes, such
as this season's luxurious
look.
 Key
items in Italian furniture showrooms are a wide
selection of colourful armchairs and couches,
which can be mixed and matched to suit all tastes,
we really liked offerings from Cassina
and Moroso;
as well as the classic table and chairs
- the latest versions are minimalist in inspiration
and are made from recycled materials, mixing wood
with plastic to recreate the design mood of the
1960s and '70s. The trendiest furniture is made
by Segis
using bottles and yoghurt jars, and won special
recognition by the EU. Must-have wardrobes
are geometric in design, include a wide range of
accessories and can be adapted to suit each client's
individual needs. And then it's time for bed,
preferably in one of Flou's
gorgeous models which use the softest leather instead
of the usual fabric.
Custom-design and eclectic sum up this new spirit
in interior design. In the words of the design guru
Enzo Mari: "The show is the result
of our need to keep on creating new pieces, because
nowadays freedoms means choice." One
example of this choice is the space given over in
the Show to the art of recycling, with an
exhibition, iMade, organised by Material
Connexion from New York, dedicated
to the theme.
Made in Milan
For the five days of the Salone Milan became
the hub of interior design with a series of openings
and shows all over the city. Ettore
Sottsass Jr's show in Studio Casoli
on Corso Monforte was a particular success. The
show consisted of 8 original pieces of furniture
and 15 hand-blown glass sculptures commissioned
from the acclaimed designer by design mentor and
merchant Ernest Mourmans. As Enzo Mari says: "Milan
creates product culture.".
However, if anyone should ask you why a city like
Milan is still without a Design or Fashion Museum,
pretend you don't hear: it's too hard a question
to answer.
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| by
ELENA
GUARNERI |
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April
2001
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THE SURVIVOR'S 
