L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 4 T h e h e a r t o f d e s i g n b e a t s i n M i l a n . T h e S a l o n e d e l M o b i l e , Fuorisalone, and Design Week — bringing a breath of fresh air, innovative ideas for the home and well-being, b o l d c o l o r s , a n d c r e a t i v e styles — once again place I t a l y a t t h e c e n t e r o f t h e g l o b a l d e s i g n i n d u s t r y . Brands, designers, universi- ties, curators, creative stu- dios, architects, and artists have filled the city with a w i d e a r r a y o f o f f e r i n g s : t r e n d s , p r e v i e w s , v e r n i s s a g e s . S c a t t e r e d events, exhibitions, open-air museums, installations, his- toric palaces flinging open their doors, and city corners transformed into surprising spaces of expression — sen- sorial backdrops and striking visuals. A festival that tells the story of today's domestic life, imagines the ways we might l i v e i n t h e f u t u r e , a n d — with a bold leap forward — proposes futuristic living spaces shaped by bio-sus- tainable materials and high- tech home automation. But i t ' s a l s o a f o r m a t w h e r e business is at home. Deals are made, goods are bought and sold, partnerships are strengthened, and new com- mercial routes are opened — objectives that are always fundamental, and especially crucial in a time of economic pressure like the present. T h e S a l o n e d e l M o b i l e a t t r a c t e d o v e r 3 0 2 , 0 0 0 a t t e n d e e s a n d f e a t u r e d 2 , 1 0 3 e x h i b i t o r s f r o m 3 7 c o u n t r i e s . F o r e i g n exhibitors made up 68% of the total, and the num- bers were also significant among major investors, buy- ers, retailers, contractors, and specialized media, who arrived from 50 countries across all continents. There were 27 official delegations f r o m A s i a a n d t h e G u l f States, traveling to Milan specifically to be inspired by the very players who set the pace in the world of design. T h e E u r o p e a n m a r k e t remains stable, but follow- ing the announcement of new US tariffs, attention has t u r n e d t o w a r d e m e r g i n g g e o g r a p h i e s o f b u s i n e s s . Among the key markets in this reorientation are the U n i t e d A r a b E m i r a t e s , which doubled their pres- ence in Milan in 2025, and Saudi Arabia. Attendance also rose from Japan and South Korea. But all eyes r e m a i n o n C h i n a , w h i c h tops the ranking. In the Top 10, just behind Germany in second place, strong growth was recorded in two of the most dynamic export mar- kets for Italian home and furnishings in 2024: Spain and Poland. The list contin- u e s w i t h B r a z i l , R u s s i a , France, the United States, India, and Switzerland. Visitor satisfaction was recorded at 88%, and 94% of exhibitors expressed the intention to return. Once a g a i n , t h e S a l o n e d e l Mobile.Milano has met expectations, confirming its status as a global leader in terms of industry participa- tion, revenue, and the quali- ty of what Italian industrial manufacturing has to offer. Those who attend enter into d i r e c t d i a l o g u e w i t h t h e world, discovering an offer- ing like no other — an aes- thetic and functional vision supported by technological i n n o v a t i o n , m a t e r i a l research, and an ability to turn the challenges of sus- tainability into competitive advantage. "The 63rd edition of the S a l o n e d e l M o b i l e w a s a beacon in a 2025 marked by g l o b a l c h a l l e n g e s , " s a i d Maria Porro, President o f S a l o n e d e l Mobile.Milano. "The sec- tor has once again demon- s t r a t e d h o w q u a l i t y a n d i n n o v a t i o n — i n b o t h p r o c e s s a n d p r o d u c t — remain key ingredients in an i n c r e a s i n g l y c o m p e t i t i v e international landscape. "As expected, Euroluce redefined the future of light- i n g d e s i g n , g e n e r a t i n g strong momentum among cutting-edge Italian compa- nies — more than 80% of whose total revenue comes from exports — and a 45% share of foreign exhibitors, representing global industry leaders. SaloneSatellite c e l e b r a t e d 7 0 0 e m e r g i n g t a l e n t s , o p e n i n g u p n e w reflections on the potential connections between crafts- m a n s h i p a n d i n d u s t r i a l design. "The Cultural Program a l s o a c h i e v e d i t s g o a l s , building cultural bridges. W e ' v e t r i e d t o c h a r t n e w paths of thought, in collabo- ration with some of today's most visionary voices. Now we turn to 2026 with pur- pose: the coming year pre- sents new and significant challenges. Our promise is t o d e v e l o p a n e v e n m o r e i n c l u s i v e f o r m a t , w i t h a focus on small and medium- D e s i g n W e e k 2 0 2 5 t h e w o r l d c a m e t o Milan—and left inspired BARBARA MINAFRA NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 The fashionable Brera neighborhood during Design Week (Photo: Chiara Venegoni)

• Cover