WELL DONE SALONE
We express our humble opinion about the design event of the year through the experience of our editor who is covering the fair for almost two decades. We also leave a selected impression about the 54th edition of the Salone del Mobile that took place in Milan, Italy, between the 14th and the 19th of past April. Opinion and report by Tiago Krusse
The Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italy, it’s an event I’ve been visiting as a professional journalist for a almost 20 years now. Since the early days as a journalist focused on design up to nowadays my fascination for the fair has always been the same edition after edition. The organizers of the fair have been able to present a well organized fair for everyone, from exhibitors to general public. Looking through these almost two decades a whole lot of facts happened, from better economical cycles to most difficult ones, from more design to less but better and other aspects related to social, cultural and political changes that had also played an important role on how we made our perceptions of the whole event year after year. An the event is a celebration of design as a whole, from industrial, interior, communication, multimedia, fashion, project or concept. The organizers they direct how the fair is presented and they make sure that everyone would get the best experience during the exhibition days. And this is made with such professionalism by a team that shows capability of setting the structure and infra-structures so that everyone could experience something good either is doing business or either just getting information about novelties. It’s my opinion that the fact that keeps it so successful is due to the organizers commitment in presenting a good fair and on top of that celebrating the passion that Italians have for design. This year some critics said that Salone had become more of a marketing event than a design fair. I totally disagree on this perspective because Salone it’s a fair that knows out to capture the attention of the whole design industry to be in Milan and be able to show the World what’s new. Of course Salone communicates intensively through media not only to keep exhibitors happy or capturing the eye of the media but because the fair has to compete with other design fair organizers and side events that are kind of related to design. Of course other fairs are also well orga-
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nized so that plays as an extra stimulating challenge for Italians to be on the top of all these events. The organizers, the city of Milan, the Italian industry and the government they all work together to produce something it is important to their society, industry and economy. They just set the set and afterwards it’s up to exhibitors and the whole industry to show what they are doing. In my perspective the exhibitors and the design industry place Salone as the key event of their business strategies. So Salone turns Milan into a World stage for the design industry, markets, professionals, buyers and general public. And I’m talking about Salone and not other side events that take place at the same time of the fair. 54TH edition This year was the 54th edition of Salone and once again everything was well prepared to host everyone during all those busy and crowded days. From the 14th to the 19th of April, at Fiera-Rho, the Salone del Mobile took place alongside Euroluce, SaloneUfficio and SaloneSatellite. As journalist I must underline the way media was once again taken in such consideration by providing all series of services to make the whole coverage more efficient and comfortable to do. Salone has a scale higher than human I mean there is whole lot to see so you have to be well organized to search and to find the facts you are interested in. And Salone always provide us journalist with information and ways to get close to what we find relevant to proceed with our work. The reason way I stay only at Salone it’s because I know that I wouldn’t be able to keep with all the prepared agenda for the show. You have to have time to talk with designers and exhibitors, to search for information or to learn about new features, technologies, concepts or purposes. It is digging for information but also having the chance to learn with those who know about what