The rhythm of Salone del Mobile resembles that of a dandelion. A dandelion flower produces hundreds of seeds at a time. These seeds are taken up by the wind and carried away to distant fields. Wherever they land, a small number of these seeds will take root, sprout, and thrive.
Salone gathers the most vibrant flowers of the design world in Milano every year. These flowers arrive in the form of creative people, bold artwork, charming products, daring brands, storied fashion houses, and ideas. Ideas – more than anything else, Salone is a platform for the latest design ideas to be shared. Some of these ideas will be taken up by the artists and designers in attendance and carried to faraway fields, where they may take root, sprout, and thrive – perhaps even in time for the next Salone.
‘I think this week must be a week of connection, a week of innovation, a week of commerce – a week of everything, obviously,’ said renowned designer Patricia Urquiola. ‘But I think it must be a week of culture. Where all of us, we cross over our culture with different things we can give to others.’
‘Salone really is the design show around the world,’ said Paul Nemschoff, Haworth’s VP of Global Strategy and Marketing. The 2023 edition of Salone gathered upwards of three hundred thousand people, two thousand brands, and five hundred young designers. Ideas were shared with guests from 181 countries, ensuring that the seeds shared at this year’s fair will travel to fields far and wide. The exceptional attendance testifies to Salone’s vaunted place among design fairs; few events can compare with the exuberant celebration of design that roars through the streets of Milan every year.
Read on to find seven trends our team saw at Salone – and get ready to see these seeds begin sprouting all over the world!
