“Our goal was to make this the best Salone del Mobile in the world and the results have far exceeded our expectations,” Claudio Luti, president of the Salone del Mobile said. “Buyers, journalists and designers have seen at first hand just how superlative and creative our production chain is, recognising the value of Made in Italy manufacturing and the global importance of the Salone.”
This success is due to the quality of the exhibits and the visitor numbers at the fair. The 53rd edition of the Salone del Mobile notched up a total of 357.212 visitors, 311.781 of them sectoral operators – up 13 % on the 2013 edition.
Significant recognition of the sector’s importance came from Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, when he visited the fair last Friday, acknowledging that the furniture sector was a strategic strand in Italy’s real economy, a sign there was still life in Italy, a country that was overcoming the credit crisis thanks to its extraordinary manufacturing ethos and the excellent supply chain underpinning products and design research. This was not just a personal mark of recognition and gratitude; it came from the government as a whole. State Secretary to the Prime Minister Graziano Delrio and Ministers Maurizio Lupi and Maurizio Martina were also present.
“This edition of the Salone del Mobile has confirmed the crucial role of exports for the sector” Roberto Snaidero, president of FederlegnoArredo said. “Almost half our manufacturing sales over the last year have been to other countries, as the strong presence of foreign visitors shows only too clearly.”
This was an even more international Salone, with distinguished visitors from over 160 countries. The 2014 edition marked a powerful synergy with the city of Milan, the creative capital capable of attracting thousands of visitors to design week with the Welcome Project, launched this year in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and its Department of Fashion and Design. More than 100 students from Milan’s design schools were deployed to greet visitors at information points set up at focal points throughout the city.
It was not all business: the “Where Architects Live” exhibition played a starring role at the Salone. An opportunity to engage with and reflect on the modes and experiences and the art of inhabiting as evidenced by eight exceptional architects: Shigeru Ban, Mario Bellini, David Chipperfield, Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, Zaha Hadid, Marcio Kogan, Daniel Libeskind and Studio Mumbai/Bijoy Jain.
“This edition was a something of a rehearsal for Expo 2015,” Luti concluded. “There is everything to suggest that it will be a tremendous event that will show the world just what Milan and Italy are capable of achieving. We are unfazed by the challenge and are already preparing for a great Salone that will get the Universal Exposition ball rolling.”
photo by Saverio Lombardi Vallauri
