All of the newest creations and trends from the world of design at Milan’s highly anticipated Design Week – with new collections, exhibits, interactive installations, state-of-the-art innovations, presentations, prototypes, plus art, food, fashion, and even perfumes.

Get ready for a week of design, lights, style, technology, and entertainment as Italy’s ultra-chic Lombard capital hosts the 60th edition of its world-famous International Design Week – Salone del Mobile – seven days of exhibitions and events connected by this year’s theme Between Space and Time.

The Return of Design Week

After a two-year pause caused by the Covid pandemic, with only the Supersalone presented last year, this year’s stellar event is set to open its doors from June 7-12 to exhibitors, artists, and visitors from all over the world. As the most important international event in the sector of furniture and accessories for living, the return of Milan’s Design Week has been highly anticipated by those working in the sector as well as by everyone interested in home decor and design. 

With the hub of exhibits presented at the expo center in Rho fiera in a series of pavilions dedicated to the world of furniture design and home accessories, this year’s edition will also see the mega-project created by Mario Cucinella dedicated to future living as well as a keen eye towards the importance of sustainability within the sector. The Fuorisalone is also poised to light up the other areas of the city with a series of events that can be found around Milan.

Underscored by a particular desire to return to a world of events and gatherings where international talent can exhibit its ideas and creations, this year’s Design Week has taken on an even greater significance in bringing together a hope for future living improved by the beauty of functional designs as well as the importance of international unity in establishing a brighter tomorrow.

“Since time immemorial, the furniture fair has been a catalyst for creativity and energy. It is a generator of beauty, inclusion, and new opportunities,” remarked Maria Porro, president of Salone del Mobile. “We have always been a place of dialogue and construction, in Milan as in the Shanghai and Moscow editions. Today as upset as everyone is about the war in Ukraine, we believe even more in the value of our being a crossroads of cultures and styles open to the world.”

A World Comes Together

Design Week comes on the heels of positive news regarding sales and production figures for the Italian furniture sector, which, despite the difficulties of the past two years, has managed to increase international sales by 14% and domestic sales by 18.4%, with a positive 7.3% jump in exports as well. 

Visitors from all over are expected to flock to the city for this year’s Design Week, with particularly high numbers of travelers coming in from India. The list of international exhibitors will also see an increase in those coming from new markets as well as the return of usual sector giants such as the United States. Although producers and visitors from China will not be attending this year, direct streaming will keep international players from all over the world in close contact with this year’s events via live streaming.

Regarding the number of visitors, Porro noted, “We will not repeat the figures of 2019 or 2018, but we are starting again with very positive assumptions, especially in terms of quality. In organizing this exhibition, we put a lot of energy into it because it comes after two very complex years. The Salone for 60 editions has been the theater where great products and trends have been able to express themselves.”

The expo in Rho will take place in a series of pavilions spread out on a  surface area of over 200,000 square meters, where more than 2,000 exhibitors, 27% of which will be international, will be offering unique spaces and visions for living and lifestyle proposals – divided up between the International Salon, Workplace 3.0, Eurocucine, Euroluce, the International Bathroom Salon, S. Project, and the International Furnishings Accessories Exhibition – all of which will include the styles of Classic, Design, and xLux.

The 60th edition of Design Week will also be the proud host of Salonesatellite, an event focused on the work of over 600 young designers under the age of 35.  The theme for these young artists is Design for Our Future Selves and calls on the new talent to reflect on the future and on city squares and open spaces as locations for gathering.

Sustainability at the Forefront

With sustainability and ecological transitions the keywords for Design Week 2022, the intention is also to maintain Italy’s global leadership when it comes to the environment – a point highlighted by the continued success of the country’s research into materials and recycling strategies. Notwithstanding the difficulties caused by the heart-breaking conflict in Ukraine and the impact of inflation and a short supply of wood, the sector is working together towards the common goal of making the country less dependent on imported wood, choosing to look at this as a chance to learn, improve, and reinvent.

An opportunity to discover some of the latest innovations from the design world and take in its sense of beauty and inspiration, Design Week is not to be missed. Events will also be popping up around Milan, including the inaugural concert and ballet at Teatro alla Scala performed by Roberto Bolle and the theater’s philharmonic; as well as the cinematographic exhibit by Davide Rampello, creative director of Rampello & Partners creative studio, offering the screening of 11 art-house films created by some of Italy’s best filmmaking talent.