This month, consultant and home furnishings product designer Haley Seidel is back to share highlights from Milan Design Week, which she walked this past spring. I couldn't make it, so I was curious to hear Haley's thoughts on the show and what caught her eye, given her sensitivity to quality and artisanal craftsmanship. She was kind enough to share her insights with readers.
In short, Milan Design Week, the world’s largest and most influential annual design event, has grown increasingly popular over the years because it’s where many of the year’s biggest design trends first appear. Furniture companies, luxury brands, technology firms, architects, artists, and emerging designers all use it to unveil new work. It has also become a buzzy cultural event, attracting journalists, buyers, students, collectors, and design enthusiasts. It’s a place to experience design in a creative, fun environment where the city’s creativity really comes alive.
It consists of two parts:
Salone del Mobile.Milano – the official trade fair, held at the Fiera Milano exhibition center. This is where hundreds of brands launch new furniture, lighting, kitchens, bathrooms, and workplace products. It is primarily for industry professionals, though some days are open to the public.
Fuorisalone – literally "outside the fair." Thousands of exhibitions, installations, talks, parties, and pop-up experiences take place throughout Milan in galleries, palaces, courtyards, universities, shops, and even private apartments. Fuorisalone is free or low-cost for many events.
Then you can enjoy showrooms spread throughout the neighborhoods, each with its own character.