• Review of I Saloni 2007
• Review of SaloneSatellite 2007
• Preview I Saloni, 2008
• Review of Milan 2008 - News From the World’s Most Important Design Fair
• Review of Milan Design Week 2008 – Notes from the Design Zone

By Le Vin Chin

If ever there was a one-stop-shop, a world-stage for a busy designer, unsure how to maximize their exposure, on which to present their work and keep up with the latest trends, it is the Milan Design Week, held for the second year at architect Massimiliano Fuksas’s new Rho-Pero exhibition complex!

One of the biggest shows on the design calendar, the Milan Design Week (branded “I Saloni 2007”), running from April 18-23, 2007, comprises four separate shows this year: the Salone Internazionale del Mobile (the International Furniture Exhibition), the Salone Internazionale del Complemento d’Arredo (International Furniture Accessories Exhibition), the SaloneSatellite (showcasing the work of young, upcoming talents) and the Euroluce (the biennial International Lighting Exhibition).

The furniture exhibition (now in its 46^th year) and the accessories exhibition (celebrating its 21^st year) saddle the visitor’s senses with an extraordinary range of products, for every room in every building, of every style – from classical to the most modern, from every corner of the globe, and a delightfully creative fusion in between. Given the high quality of innovative design on display, these fairs are recognized as THE international showcase for the furnishing solutions of our future lifestyles and attract designers, buyers and connoisseurs from around the world.

Concurrently (running from April 18 to July 15) and in conjunction with I Saloni, the City Council of Milan’s Department of Culture is also holding a cultural exhibition entitled “Room With a View – Italian Art and Interiors 1907-2007” at Palazzo Reale. One hundred masterpieces by major Italian artists on the theme of “the Home” will be arranged chronologically in themed rooms, and accompanied by music, furnishings, objects, clothes and writings fitting the period.

Meanwhile, the SaloneSatellite, celebrating its 10^th year, is the platform for promising young designers. 500 new designers, including 200 graduates from 23 internationally prestigious design schools, will present the fruits of their creative work. That the SaloneSatellite has had great success in promoting these young designers is highlighted in “A Dream Come True - SaloneSatellite Projects: from Inception to Production”, a concurrent exhibition detailing the hundreds of success stories where an idea or prototype presented at SaloneSatellite has become commercial reality.

Light and lighting systems, of all types and purposes, are the focus of the 24^th Euroluce. Whether indoor or outdoor; industrial, events-based, civic or private; whatever the light source or lighting technology, Euroluce showcases the complete range of offers. Euroluce also comes hand-in-hand with two parallel events: “Tales of Light” will relay the history of the Loggia dei Mercanti as a son et lumière experience played out on the architectural structure of the medieval building, while the ELDA+ Light Focus conference pools knowledge and experience from around the world in the use of lighting to create atmosphere in an environment.

A packed program, which makes the Milan Design Week a truly potent event and a fascinating destination!