ONE WEEK ABOUT Milano Design Week 2025
Day 5 – report by David Heldt
Yesterday afternoon I walked through the market in Brera, beautifully displayed fruits and vegetables, and delicious fish. Immediately I felt like cooking. The market is where it all once began, farmers, bakers, fishermen and butchers gathered in a square, trading their wares. The Salone del Mobile does nothing different, competitors need each other and have a common interest in making sure the market is clean in the morning.
I was reminded of this when I was invited last night to a dinner with the Royal CBM, the trade association for the interior design and furniture industry, among others, who organized a joint exhibition in which the furniture brands Arco, CS Rugs, Enschede textile city, Gelderland, Label van den Berg, Lande Family, Leolux and Montis put their hands together to make circular furniture under the title Future > Factory > Furniture, and energized by moderator Marsha Simon. Brands collectively keeping their market clean. Lots of positive energy, and the great connector: Italian cuisine. Pragmatic people: how will you help make the world a better place starting tomorrow?
The Future > Factory > Furniture exhibition was a bit unfortunate in the entrance hall of Masterly. But rest assured, soon to be seen in the Netherlands as well. Also exhibiting at Masterly is designer-inventor-surfer Basten Leijh, his inflatable sofa is inspired by the inflatable sub. Flat packable, light, comfortable and strong, beautifully finished with fabrics by Kvadrat. A leaky couch can just be glued. Basten, thank you.
One of the highlights is The Last Supper, no not the one the Santa Maria delle Grazie, but in the basement of Masterly. A beautifully lit exhibition (thanks Modular) curated by Simone van Es, she set a long table with circular and working utensils that can also be thrown into nature like that. Beautiful lamp by Aga Blonska made from 3d printed bio-based PHA that consists of microbes, glasses by Klarenbeek and Dros made from algae, tiles by The Novel Grey made from recycled concrete. Nature redesigned as it were. Other noteworthy exhibitors around this last supper are the leather objects made from leftover material by Emma Batsheva, the HEX Pixel lamp by Studio Roex, or a rug designed by Nienke Hoogvliet in collaboration with The Knitwit Stable and Zeefier of Dutch sheep’s wool dyed with pigment made from seaweed. It is produced industrially and thus ready for the world.
Tomorrow the last blog of mine, and then more on Rive Roshan, Alcova, Rossana Orlandi, Jack Brandsma and Lambert Kamps. A domani.
Photography: David Heldt
