Best of Salone del Mobile
The 51st installment of the Milan’s design mega-fair, Salone del Mobile, just drew to a close, and we sifted through the labyrinth of design zones, booths, and showrooms to bring you all things new and noteworthy.
Nike released its second installment of the HTM Flyknit collection HTM, a collaboration between designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, and Nike CEO and designer Mark Parker. The new designs—the HTM Racer and the HTM Trainer+—and Flyknit technology allows the upper of the shoes to be precisely woven, drastically reducing waste and creating incredibly light, formfitting shoes.
Designer Ilse Crawford unveiled the Ilse Collection, a set of universal objects—from a bedside box for jewelry, to a candleholder—that, when beautifully crafted in Jensen’s signature polished steel, as well as copper, brass, and black glass, elevate the daily tasks to rituals.
Marni presented a collection of 100 brightly colored metal and PVC thread chairs made by Columbian ex-prisoners. The project aims to aid the prisoners’ resettlement into social and working life.
Cerruti extended its printed line with the addition of the “Wow” screen and Luigina chair. As the extended title suggests, “Imagine Louis XV transforming the Spartan austerity of marble into a soft and comfortable sensation.”
Celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, Flos is reissuing the iconic Arco lamp in LED (right) as well as the Light Photon by Philippe Starck (left).
There are quite a few new pieces to choose from, but we narrowed our favorites to Philippine Dutto’s drawer-filled La Secrete desk (right), Dogg Gundmunsdottir’s Fifty (left).
Lighting masterminds Artemide unveiled an intergalactic new series of lights: (from left) Scopas, Ephemeris, and Copernico 500 (which also folds flat).
Interior design house Gaia&Gino teamed up with Swarovski and design stars Defne Koz, Harry Allen, and David Adjaye. Adjaye’s Star Collection, above, is handmade in copper, lined with black crystals, and plays with architectural concepts of paired triangles.
The British design firm introduced “8”, a showcase of new designs from an expanded roster of designers including Sylvain Willenz (Torch, above left) and Luca Nichetto (Golconda, above right).
New design company La Chance launches with “Jekyll and Hyde” a furniture and lighting collection created by a select group of intriguing new designers. The theme is played out in the finishes—the Jekyll version featuring brighter colors and the Hyde in monotone or natural materials—as seen in the Tembo stool, above.
