Salone del Mobile 2023 – Trends & Highlights
After three years of pandemic-related disruptions, the 2023 Salone del Mobile Milan was awash with excited industry players. As the world’s largest annual design and furniture fair, the Salone del Mobile six-day event was the 61stedition of the show and spanned 18 – 23 April.
With spring and a sense of optimism filling the air, the iconic Fiera Milano district in Rho was positively charged all week. DOMO’s Director Jane Novembre and General Manager/Buyer Elise Phillips were on the scene. The weather was fine, the crowd was buzzing, the stands were packed with visitors. With major brands, plus up and coming creators aplenty, there were a vast array of launches and installations to explore.
Salone del Mobile key trends
“This year the fabrics and colours trending at Milan continued to range in the stone, neutral, natural and dark blue colour-ways,” explains Phillips. “Soft leathers and detailed bright graphic fabrics were seen as a counter balance to this. While furniture shapes on display heavily referenced the 70’s and 80’s eras,” she said.
Key items that made their mark included “the de Sede DS-808 seating with interlocking, curved leather skirts, the Pebble Sofa by Wittmann’s Luca Nichetto was a breath of 3D sculptural air. And at Denmark’s Sika Design the curved rattan re-editions stole the spotlight” Phillips explained.
With the packed cultural program as well, Salone del Mobile 2023 was an incredible backdrop for swapping ideas and bringing the international design community together. So, when is Salone del Mobile 2024? It will be held on 16-21 April 2024. Make a diary note!
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Highlights from Salone del Mobile 2023
de Sede
A tribute to the power of nature and landscape
Alongside its collection of sculptural furniture designed by its in-house team, de Sede has co-designed furniture pieces with atelier oï, Philippe Malouin and Sven Dogs.
All the items on show had one theme in common: they pushed the boundaries of material design in a playful way to reflect the unique topography of the Swiss landscape. An unparalleled attention to detail and remarkable passion for design are hallmarks of de Sede, who have been manufacturing high-end furniture and accessories for 55 years.
The highlights were:
DS-265
Design: Sven Dogs. A swivel armchair wot soft, elegant curves and contrasting seat edge.
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DS-705
Design: Philippe Malouin. When a sofa leather sofa is like a warm embrace.
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DS-808
Design: atelier oï. A a sofa with sweeping wave-like forms with beauty in the details.
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DS-910
Design: de Sede Design Team. This sofa and armchair setting conveys an organic feel, visual calm, deliberately inward-flowing relief zone.
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Wittmann
Conformity is not something found at Wittmann
Expanding upon its portfolio of contemporary design pieces, at Salone del Mobile Wittmann unveiled co-designed pieces with NERI + HU, Studio Nendo, Luca Nichetto and Jamie Hayon.
The common thread running between the new capsule collections is the meaningful way they circle-back to design protagonist Josef Hoffmann. This could be in geometry, styling, references or in era. Through its unique ability to combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, this Austrian family business seems to equally set trends and create milestones in furniture history.
The highlights included:
Baton Wardrobe Stands and Tables
Designer: Neri + Hu. A homage to the Viennese Secessionist design movement with the columns comprising 3 parts – base, shaft and capital.
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Detour Lamp and Side Table
Designer: Nendo, Lighting and Side Tables. With linear geometrics and sweeping curves.
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Figure Sofa
Designer: Luca Nichetto. Like strewn pebbles, this organic sculptural sofa appears to be made of oval stone shapes on a three-dimensional plane.
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Vuelta Modular Sofa
Designer: Jamie Hayon. The familiar proportions and lightness of Vuleta are now in a modular setting that can be arranged at will. Exciting new possibilities.
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Sika Design
Handcrafted, Danish designed, wicker and teak furniture
This year at Salone del Mobile, Sika Design undertook major re-issues of archival releases by renowned designers such as Michel Buffet, Tove Kindt-Larsen and Yuzuru Yamakawa.
Trending at Sika Design were neutral and natural shades, with curved and organic shapes. This Danish family company from 1942 has a passion for rattan. Sika Design offers up handcrafted creations by some of the world’s greatest designers and architects.
The highlights were:
Pacifique Lounge Chair
Designed in 1954 by Michel Buffet. Sika Design introduced this design piece at Milan. Buffet was a first-time collaborator in 1954 and this collection is only being release now. Pacifique is large curved embracing rattan lounge chair.
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Swing Sofa and Lounge Chair
Designer: Tove Kindt-Larsen. The Swing Chair was designed in 1937. But, this prize-winning chair is only now being released by Sika in the ICONs collection now. It has an intricate curved rattan aesthetic.
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Funky and Rap Dining Chairs
Designer: Yuzuru Yamakawa in 1996. Milan saw the re-launch of these delicate rattan seats into the ICONS collection. The chairs have beautiful lines and an emphasis on ergonomics.
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Atmosphere Handcrafted Interior Accessories
Within this new collection, handcrafted rattan and teak are the theme. These eight new pieces are in soft organic shapes to add atmosphere to a space.
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Qeeboo
Channelling self-expression and creativity
Born in 2016 in Milan by Stefano Giovannoni, Qeeboo evokes thought, vision and emotion through its vibrant objects. Qeeboo launched its new “Design Connection” collection with Campari Soda at Salone del Mobile.
And the result? Four unique and expressive design objects which incorporate Campari in a quirky fun way. Watch the colourful video to see the union of seemingly different and distant objects coming together, such as Sweet Brother Tom lamps, the Turtle Carry Drinks vase/glacette, and the iconic Rabbit.
The Qeeboo highlights at Milan:
Bacana Chair
Designer: Estudio Campana. From Portuguese slang meaning ‘cool’, the Bacana chair combines sustainable design and mass production.
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Helpyourself Table
Designer: Philippe Starck. This 3D table offers a family of geniuses watch over the happiness of your house, while holding up the table top with 3 arms and 3 legs.
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Hungry Frog
Designed by Qeeboo’s founder, Marcantonio, the Hungry Frog is a wall lamp shaped like a frog which looks like it has eaten the lamp bulb – there’s a light in its stomach.
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Cobble Chair
Designed by Elisa Giovannoni, the comfortable Cobble Seat is constructed in recyclable polyethylene. It has a matching table with ice bucket in the middle.
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Abyss Lamp
Designed by Dai Sugasawa, the Abyss light is a bold anglerfish-shaped table lamp in recyclable polyethylene.
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That’s the wrap from Salone del Mobile 2023
With many more visitors to Salone del Mobile this year than in 2022, the cheery vibe was all-consuming. Despite the fact the fair was only on one level and the stands were smaller, this only added to packed trains, packed stands and the buzzing atmosphere.
Like the design highlights from our Salone del Mobile 2023 recap? All brands are stocked exclusively by DOMO in Australia. Enquire with us about any of the furniture pieces you like.
