As brands & designers globally get busy, flexing their creative muscles at the 58th Milan Furniture Fair this week, here it my annual post on Salone del Mobile 2019; Reloaded. The background of this post, this year is the controversial eight-metre-high installation Maestà Sofferente (Suffering Majesty), that resembles a woman’s torso covered in arrows, chained to a ball and under attack from wild animals. It was unveiled in Milan’s Piazza del Duomo on Sunday 7 April to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gaetano Pesce’s Up armchair which the Italian designer has said he conceived in 1969 as an “image of a prisoner”, embodying women’s suffering “because of the prejudice of men”. Even though this master piece was meant to condemn sexism, many feminist groups are against it. They see it, as further violence on women to compare them with an immovable piece of furniture.
For a generation that is growing up binge watching online on their MacBooks & tablets, a television perhaps is not the centre of a living room that interiors orbit around. In fact many of us may not even remember, the last time they switched on a TV. But @vitra (A classic Swiss furniture brand with the most iconic chairs in the world) & @panasonic_india (The Japanese electronic giant) came up with something that is not just revolutionary but also, transparent. In a way, reinventing the wheel. Just 3 days ago at Milan Design Fair, these two unveiled a concept transparent OLED screen. Which means a lot less wire issues and much better design. The transparent OLED display converts from a passive object into a lively and dynamic element, from something meant to be seen into something meant to be watched. Designed by Daniel Rybakken & Panasonic Kyoto team, this telly is made up of wood, metal and glass.
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Some time back Delhi had a one of it’s kind art exhibition, where Artificial Intelligence was the creator, under the guidance of an artist. It was an interesting peek into how art would become in the future. But at @isaloniofficial this year an iconic Italian high end plastic furniture brand @kartell_official with the French product designer @starck and an American world renowned design software firm @autodesk just took the first step in the history of design as they merged together to develop this chair. In the French designer’s words, “Kartell, Autodesk and I asked the artificial intelligence a question: do you know how we can rest our bodies using the least amount of material?” Starck said. “Artificial Intelligence, without culture, without memories, without influence, responded only with intelligence, its “artificial” intelligence. A.I. it is the first chair designed outside our brain, out of our habits and how we are used to thinking. And thus, a new world opens up to us. Unlimited.”
Click here to see the highlights of last year, Salone del Mobile 2018; Reloaded.
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Nendo design studio which has offices in 2 design centres of the world, Milan & Tokyo, came up with an immersive installation called 17,000 flowers. Simply ethereal, this installation was done with collaboration with @daikin.india to form the breeze of light installation. It was made with flowers made up of polarising film which were spread in calculated patterns. Each flower was placed at different height, just like a real garden. 115 spotlights with individually controlled motors – suspended from the ceiling. The movement of the film on the polarising spotlights allowed constant change in the intensity of the flower’s shadows, even though there was no change in the light available in that space. Although there was no wind blowing in the room, the flowers shadow seemed to be effected by the gentle breeze passing through the garden. Pic courtesy: Takumi Ota.
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A big trend being supported by every designer in the world in today’s time (wether fashion or decor) is environmental sustainability. And the fashion brand @loewe creative head Jonathan Anderson showcased this cause beautifully at this years @isaloniofficialMilan Design Week. This fashion brand called up two distinguished Japanese bamboo artists who together created 7 one- off pieces which also used naturally dyed LOEWE leather instead of bamboo to make this product range. The simplicity and the beauty of handmade is a joy forever. Swap through the pictures to see more of this story.
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Lastly it is our very own whimsical, luxurious and a homegrown brand @scarletsplendour With award winning designers like @matteocibic in their kitty, these guys are for that touch of humour that every sophisticated house needs. Swipe right to enjoy their “Twisted Tales” collection and more. All launched this year at Milan Design Week 2019. (Meanwhile, I am going to go and rob a bank to buy their cloud chair, made in brass, by hand, in India. 😬)
With that we end my list of the Salone stars for 2019. As it gets bigger each year, there are fashion brands like Diesel, Moschino, Hermes & many more dashing in. Making this fair one of the top luxury home decor fairs in the world. If you are following me on Instagram you must have seen a lot more on this story by now, if not then do it today. Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did while going through all of this madness in Milano. Until next time, arrivederci!
