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Salone Del Mobile 2022 – the big launches and brands you may have missed
This year, Milan design fair celebrated its 60th birthday and there was so much to see, it deserves a second look
The Salone del Mobile, held annually in Milan, is the largest trade fair of its kind in the world. It’s unsurprising, therefore, that it attracts the best designers around, who flock to the city to showcase their wares. This year - the fair’s 60th birthday - was no different, and saw a slew of big names introducing everything from eco-friendly furniture to marble-effect ceramics, all immaculately presented. Here’s our rundown of the highlights from this year’s fair.
The dream location
Luxury furniture brand Baxter came up with a novel way to showcase its first foray into outdoor furniture. Owner Paolo Bestetti invested in a villa overlooking Lake Como, which was transformed into a temple to all things Baxter. Known for incorporating beautiful finishes such as leather and marble, visitors were treated to sumptuous tactility woven into new pieces designed to sit outside, such as this ‘HIMBA’ sofa designed by Roberto Lazzeroni which is available in an innovative type of leather suited to exterior use. baxter.it
The eco rethink
Another classic reaching its fiftieth birthday, B&B Italia’s ‘Le Bambole’ family of sofas and armchairs were a groovy addition to living rooms from the moment they first launched in 1972. Now, designer Mario Bellini has revisited his creation to create a more eco-friendly version. The range now includes an armchair, two- and three-seater sofa, and a double bed. While they were originally based on a foam-covered metal structure, the designs now use no adhesives, feature a rotation moulded core made from recycled polyethylene, and are available in vibrant new fabrics, too. bebitalia.com
The surface finish
Honing in on one of Italy’s most coveted materials, renowned architects Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty, the founders of STUDIO KO, collaborated with Bisazza on a modernist collection of three new geometric surface patterns in marble, all of which are inspired by the contrasts of shadow and light. The ‘Modulo 1’, ‘2’, and ‘3’ designs are all available in three colourways: ‘Chiaroscuro’, ‘Monocromo’ and ‘Policromo’. bisazza.com
The sexiest shapes
Bringing a new elegance to the bedroom, longtime ELLE Decoration collaborator Studiopepe has created a series of four sleek furniture pieces all inspired – as the name ‘Stami’ might suggest – by the curves found in flower stems and leaf veins. There’s a dressing table, bench, day bed, and pouf, all of which delight the senses with a tactile palette of materials such as black stained ash, leather and bright brass. gallottiradice.it
The outdoor revival
Neapolitan architect and designer Mario Marenco created his eponymous collection of armchairs and sofas for Arflex fifty years ago. In celebration of its semicentennial landmark, the brand has announced that the iconic design will now be available in a number of outdoor versions. arflex.it
The artful complement
Exploring what Living Divani describes as ‘the intimate connection between bodies and objects’, this tall and slimline ‘Kigi’ coat hanger has been conceived by design duo Junpei and Lori Tamaki and is one of a series of products which the brand spotlighted during this year’s show. The detail of the catchall tray is a particularly chic touch. livingdivani.it
The storage solution
The ‘2022 True Evolution Collection’ from Poltrona Frau marks the brands 110th year and is a banquet of various design treats. The show-stealer is this reinterpreted ‘Lloyd Tex’ bookcase by Jean-Marie Massaud, with its semi-transparent partitions. poltronafrau.com
The talking point
Knoll encouraged the art of conversation during Salone, showcasing its new curvy ‘super chaise longue’ design by the prolific Piero Lissoni. With its fluid form and two-directional seating positions it manages to present somewhat effortlessly as either a bench or a sort of yin-and-yang-style sofa. Available in three different sizes, it’s covered with removable fabric or luxurious leather. knoll-int.com
The modern monument
Available in six different sizes and shapes, the new ‘Bulbi’ planter (see what they did there?) for outdoor specialist Ethimo by Studiopepe shimmied in to make its debut during the Milan show. Their warm, neutral colours and primitive texture bringing a little hint of the Mediterranean mood to your gardens. ethimo.com
The return to Memphis
In a kaleidoscope of colour reminiscent of Memphis, one of Italy’s most prominent design movements, architect and designer Gaetano Pesce took inspiration from the shapes of the New York city skyline to create a special semi-transparent polyurethane resin room divider, ‘Tramonto a New York’. The striking, vibrant panels of the screen have been made by pouring resin into moulds, layer by layer. From purple and blue to pink and green, Pesce has saved the most penetrating colour of all - bright red - to form the round rising sun shape that appears to crown the work of art. cassina.com
The perfect pairing
Armani Casa treated us all to a new dining table design and a ‘floating’ armchair. The ‘Space’ table’s striped greige lacquer top - edged in canaletto walnut wood - sits on some rather elegant transparent plexiglass legs. This piece was on display alongside something a little more curvy: the ‘Sharon’ floating armchair (pictured), which has been upholstered and finished in dove cuoi leather. armani.com
The new material
Surface specialists Marazzi showcased a sleek new kitchen surface slab collection, named ‘The Top’. Available in a spectrum of tempting designs, including ‘Marble Look’, ‘Stone Look’, ‘Metal Look’, and ‘Solid Colour’ finishes, all are made from what Marazzi are describing as ‘a malleable, yet very strong, stain-resistant and mould-resistant ceramic‘. Practical and stylish? That’s a design win-win. marazzigroup.com
The elegant balance
Like ‘Eliseo’, the name of Flexform’s latest chair design, according to the Italian furniture brand, there are three other words beginning with ‘E’ that define it: elegance, ergonomics, and equilibrium. It launched two versions during the fair: a club armchair and a bergère, both designed by the masterful Antonio Citterio. We’re particularly keen on the armchair version with the swivel die-cast aluminium base. It certainly sent Salone spectators into a spin. flexform.it
The modular marvel
The new ‘René’ design by Andrea Parisio for Meridiani takes modular sofa design into a new age. It’s a fully flexible system of combinations - there’s a healthy scope of what Meridiani calls ‘units’ available, and a spectrum of upholstery materials to choose from. Defining the joys of design detail, there’s also a series of different size and shape ottomans - semicircular, trapezoidal, round or rectangular - and they can all be specified with an accompanying tray on top. meridiani.it
The shape shifter
Made from 100% cashmere, the ‘Surface Bed Cover’ by Gianpaolo Pagni is part of Hermès’ new offering which it says ‘is about the quest for lightness’. The blanket serves shapes on shapes in geometric patterns. Textiles are the underlying theme to the whole collection, so expect to see more tactile pieces which are undeniably stylised and bound to be added to your ‘want’ list. hermes.com
The fashion renaissance
Versace may be well-known for its eye-catching prints, Medusa-head logo and looks that could be considered anything but subtle, but at this year’s Salone del Mobile, the brand’s recently revitalised home collection included this ‘Goddess’ armchair. The piece’s curved lines and stitched details recall the fashion house’s iconic leather jackets. versace.com
The prime location
Italian design powerhouse Fendi Casa found itself a new home: a luxury flagship store in Piazza della Scala, right next door to the famous Milanese opera house. The 700-square-metre space fuses living, dining, sleeping and outdoor areas over two different floors. Fendi Casa says it’s ‘an immersive experience’ into its ‘kaleidoscopic’ world. The new version of the ‘Ford’ dining table is particularly divine. fendi.com
The textile crossover
Inspired by the work of Pierre Chareau and Eileen Gray, there’s a distinctly Art Deco feel to fabric brand Rubelli’s new ‘Casa Collection’ of furniture pieces designed by Matteo Nunziati. Opulent and elegant, they’re also perfectly scaled for the modern home. rubelli.com/it
The pattern punch
With an increasing number of fashion houses creating complete interiors collections to sit alongside their lines of clothing and accessories, Italian icon Dolce & Gabbana has gone one further by opening two dedicated home stores in Milan. New pieces include this ‘Aurora’ coffee table, which is rumoured to be based on doll’s-house furniture, and is available in a range of sizes and bold patterned finishes. dolceandgabbana.com
The new HQ
Those who headed to the heart of Milan’s Brera design district were able to discover the new 700-square-metre flagship Calligaris showroom (the company’s largest to date), housed in a 19th-Century building known as the Cortile della Seta. The original architecture has been adapted by architects Studio Marco Piva and now lends itself as a backdrop for collections by not only Calligaris, but Ditre Italia and Luceplan too. It’s the perfect space to experience contemporary living. calligaris.com
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