As a part of Milan Design Week, the 62nd edition of Salone del Mobile took off at the Milan Fairgrounds in the suburb of Rho this week, where it will get underway until April 21. Design aficionados from across the globe have journeyed to Italy’s epicenter of fashion and design, which has transformed into a vibrant showcase with the numerous Fuori Salone projects that have emerged throughout the city, many sponsored by the world’s most prestigious fashion houses. From Sabato de Sarno’s first furniture collection for Gucci to Balenciaga’s ultra-Instagrammable sculptures, read on to discover the fashion highlights from this Milan Design Week 2024.
Hermes
For Milan Design Week 2024, Hermes is showcasing its new collection alongside archival pieces that were crafted to display the timeless allure of the luxury maison’s creations. Instead of product displays, guests’ attention was diverted to the floor at La Pelota Jai Alai, which was covered with striking floor panels in raw, earthy materials inspired by ancient Italian traditions and sourced from across the country. Reclaimed wood from Lombardy, cracked earth, Porphyry from Trentino, terracotta arranged in half-moon shaped patterns, 22,000 pieces of green ware, limestone from Puglia, and pebbled Carrara Marble created a surreal effect. Meanwhile, new designs and pieces from the brand’s past were hidden in a discreet corridor behind a wall, which housed items like a 1980s hunting whip with a deer antler hook, Studio Mumbai’s Lignage d’Hermès stone table, dyed cashmere blankets, and a hand-painted bamboo light designed by Tomás Alonso.
Loewe
Unlike many fashion brands who are just making their Salone de Mobile debut, Loewe has been a constant fixture at Milan Design Week for the past decade. This year, creative director Jonathan Anderson said “let there be light!,” transforming the industrial concrete basement of the Palazzo Citterio into a dazzling spectacle, unveiling a spectacular array of lamps in all shapes, materials, and sizes. Entitled Loewe Lamps, each design was specially commissioned and developed for the presentation by 24 artists, all of whom have a long-standing relationship with the house. Artists experimented with new materials and techniques, resulting in an impressive display. Standouts include Hafu Matsumoto’s table lamp made up of interwoven strands of flattened bamboo, showcasing his dexterity with the plant’s tensility, gained over decades of training, including under master bamboo-weaver Iizuka Shokansai; Dame Magdalene Odundo’s hanging lights constructed from leather curled to form sharp peaks; and a table lamp that takes on the form of an arched figure with its face silhouetted against an illuminated onyx disc by Enrico David.
MCM
For it’s debut at this year’s edition of Salone de Mobile, MCM decided to create a seven-piece playful collection that goes beyond the physical world, with a metaverse showcase. The presentation, situated at 17th century Palazzo Cusani, is entitled “Wearable Casa” and was imagined by Milan-based architecture and design firm Atelier Biagetti and curated by Italian designer Maria Cristina Didero. It includes whimsical designs like a bulbous “Chatty Sofa,” a Tatamu mat inspired by traditional Japanese interiors, and a transformative stool that can also funciton as a chair or a coffee table aptly named “Mind Teaser.” Meanwhile, those who are unable to make it to Salone this year will be pleased to know that the the MCM Wearable Casa collection will also be showcased in the metaverse. “The MCM Wearable Casa collection defines how we will live– physically and digitally together, in a more sustainable way,” explains Sung-joo Kim, Chairperson MCM Group, of the German label’s Milan Design Week presentation. “It’s a unique concept of wearing and dwelling that imparts multiple value to consumer, leading them toward a more sustainable and healthier way of living.”
Saint Laurent
In 1953, Venezuelan businessman Armando Planchart and his wife Anala enlisted the acclaimed Italian architect Gio Ponti to construct a groundbreaking villa atop Caracas’ highest hill. Ponti’s design encapsulated their modern vision with a structure he described as “light and graceful as a butterfly on a hill,” adorned with vibrant colors, innovative features, and panoramic views. It also featured orchids and art collections. For the interior of Villa Planchart, Ponti collaborated with premier Italian craftsmen, including the historic Florentine firm Ginori 1735, where he had been artistic director. He created a bespoke set of porcelain tableware for the villa, intricately decorated with motifs like the sun, crescent moon, polar star, and stylized “A”s as tributes to the Plancharts. For Milan Design Week, Saint Laurent has teamed up with Ginori 1735 to reissue 12 original plates from the 1957 Villa Planchart Segnaposto collection designed by Ponti. Painted by hand in Ginori 1735’s Italian Manifattura, the traditionally crafted porcelain plates are being showcased at the Chiostri di San Simpliciano until April 21.
Taller Marmo x Studio Sana Benzaitar
Studio Sana Benzaitar is a handmade rug studio employs an all- female team of weavers from the Amazigh region to produce one-of-a-kind rugs while preserving traditional weaving techniques from Morocco. For Salone, the studio was enlisted by Dubai-based Italian fashion house Taller Marmo to create an exclusive rug inspired by the label’s best-selling Mrs. Ross Kaftan. The carpet replicates the exact shape and size of the iconic dress’s paper pattern. It is displayed alongside some of the most striking creations from the studio during a special exhibition that celebrates craftsmanship, heritage, and artistry.
Balenciaga
During the Salone del Mobile, Balenciaga took the opportunity to launch the newest edition of their Art in Stores series, choosing the bustling Via Montenapoleone flagship in Milan as the stage to display eight original works by American artist Andrew J. Greene. These pieces, which adorn the store windows, are true to Balenciaga’s unconventional approach, offering a playful twist on the brand’s classic symbols— a logo-adorned coffee cup, rotating Balenciaga-branded potato chips bags, and a pair of the brand’s distinctive Knife pumps.
Gucci
Sabato de Sarno unveiled his first collection of furniture for Gucci in the trademark “Ancora Red” (a deep burgundy with a glossy finish), the distinctive hue that permeated his debut collection for the Italian fashion house last year. This color theme seamlessly transitioned into his first furniture line, where De Sarno drew inspiration from revered Italian designers like Gae Aulenti, Mario Bellini, and Tobia Scarpa. He creatively reinterpreted five iconic furniture pieces in this signature shade, including a rug inspired by Piero Portaluppi’s designs, transformed into a striking wall hanging, and a bulbous leather sofa, a reissue of Mario Bellini’s 1972 design for Tacchini, both standing out as highlights of the collection.
Ralph Lauren
American fashion magnate Ralph Lauren is a fervent collector of cars, boasting an insane private collection of vehicles that many can only dream of, that range from vintage whips to exquisite sports cars. His love for motors is often showcased in his designs, including his latest home line collection, entitled the “Modern Driver Collection,” which is currently being presented on the first floor of Palazzo Ralph Lauren during Milan Design Week. “Modern Driver” showcases sleek, modern furniture designs like the RI-CF1 chair, crafted from the same advanced fiber used in Formula 1 race cars, and featuring a robust and lightweight cantilevered frame constructed from 71 hand-laid layers of carbon tissue. The theme continues with carbon fiber utilized in both the lounge chair and side tables. Complementing these pieces, a classic Beckford table lamp is encased in metal wire mesh, echoing the grilles of Lauren’s 1929 Blower Bentley. The dining experience is enhanced with carbon fiber dinnerware and plates designed to resemble a speedometer. Additionally, throw pillows draw inspiration from car interiors, featuring perforated leather and RL zipper pulls in silver nickel.
La DoubleJ
In celebration of Salone del Mobile, La DoubleJ unveiled its comprehensive “Solar” collection amid an extensive retrospective of its homeware range. This exhibition, the brand’s most significant to date, was highlighted by the “Dancing Plates” installation crafted by Namibian-German artist Max Siedentopf. Inspired by Eames’ “Solar Do Nothing” machine, Siedentopf’s installation features 16 synchronized machines showcasing over 50 pieces from the new collection, embodying the joy and communal spirit of Italian dining. The surrounding space at Palazzo Belgioioso, a stunning 18th-century Milanese building, serves as a canvas displaying La DoubleJ’s seven-year homeware evolution and is aptly complemented by a giant solar mural embodying the Divine Masculine energy. A vibrant homage to traditional Italian craftsmanship, featuring porcelain, Murano glass, and Como-printed linens in warm, and celebratory colors, Siedentopf, a globally recognized artist known for his unconventional and whimsical creations, brings an extraordinary vision to this project, marrying art with functional design.
