Back to the Salone: design as narrated in the magazines

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As we move into May, magazines are gearing up for the Salone. We check in with the editors at House & Garden, Biznes.meble and El Beit to see how

Memories, expectations and visiting tips in our fifth date with the world of design as seen through the lens of the editorial offices around the world, in the run-up to the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2022, on from 7 to 12 June.

“It’s an exciting time to be editing House & Garden” - begins Hatta Byng, describing how the magazine has long followed the international design scene. “When the magazine was first published in 1947, it played an important role in helping readers reimagine and rebuild a world devastated by a long and brutal war. There are obvious parallels between that period and where we are today. The pandemic emphasised the importance of home, and for many of us changed how our homes needed to work. There is war again in Europe; energy prices and the cost of living soar. Those who read the magazine and the website are turning to us for inspiration in creating environments that cosset and uplift in equal measure, as well as where they should be spending their money.” House & Garden is the most widely read of the many top-quality interior and furniture magazines published in the UK, in part thanks to constant investment in growing its online (website and social media) presence.

“It is, and always has been, a place for discovery” - Byng continues. “Visiting Salone del Mobile has always been part of that journey of discovery as well: we’ve been sending our correspondents there since it began in the 1960s. I have spent many a happy afternoon looking through our archive at articles through the decades where we introduced our readers to the latest works by Mario Bellino for Cassina, Joe Colombo for Sormani or Sergio Mazza for Artemide. A particular favourite is a 1972 article entitled ‘The Exotics from Italy’ which featured the latest finds. And the Salone is still such an important resource for my team - a place to be inspired, to find the newest, the most beautiful, the best in contemporary design.

What do I hope to find this year? All of the above, of course. But in addition to this, I hope to discover designs and ideas that attempt to address some of the important issues facing us today. This includes brands who are taking seriously the environmental impact of their manufacturing and who are working in a more sustainable way. Or those who are responding to the changing nature of our homes and how we use them. I hope to discover new and exciting design talent from a diverse range of backgrounds. And I can’t wait to be able to share all of this with our readers around the world.”

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Anna Szypulska, editor of Polish monthly Biznes.meble, which focuses on and analyzes the furniture industry market, also agrees: “We live in challenging times. This global multicrisis demands our full attention and better control. Pandemic, war, price increases are at the heart of concerns brands, retailers and interior designers. In the top-three materials essential to manufacturing, whose prices are skyrocketing, wood is in first place, followed by metals and textiles. The repercussions are being felt throughout the furniture industry, regardless of company size and are raising questions for stakeholders about their mode of operation and supply.

The concept of fair is also changing and what we are now seeing is the emergence of new expressions of events that combine experience with eco-friendliness and uniqueness. When it comes to combining heritage with innovation, or expertise with CSR commitments, Salone del Mobile.Milano and president Maria Porro are staring the future straight in the eye. Salone del Mobile.Milano 2022 will bring people together around an exploration of the different aspects of the design with exhibitors present across the sectors covering the whole range of styles and product offerings in decoration, design and lifestyle. SaloneSatellite installations will showcase even more new products, innovations and young, talented designers. We believe that 60th edition Salone del Mobile.Milano will inspire us as never before.”

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While Szypulska looks towards the future of the Fair and the companies attending the Salone, Sawsan Mourad, editor of the Egyptian magazine El Beit, tries to discern the future of his country’s designers, drawing on his consolidated experience of visiting pavilions: “I have been attending Salone del Mobile fair for more than 10 years now. Every time it is a journey of passion and an an inspiring experience of excitement and innovation. I love Salone, for me it gives me food for thoughts, it’s like a dynamic way of meditation!

Before and during the fair everyone is so busy planning and exploring and basking in all the new designs and innovations, but after the fair it is usually a mix of feelings, you miss the rush and the excitement and the hype, the feeling of exploration and the joy of discovery, but you also feel nourished and immersed in the experience, eventually finding your own perception of the whole experience.

Salone is a conversation of ideas, and that the best part that you keep through the year till the next edition of conversations.

Over the years, we discover that it is all about innovation and the quality of the executing of that innovation. In Salone, there is always something new, new materials new designs, the same companies are racing to express and impress.

Egyptian designers are good observers they are dedicated learners, many visit Salone every year and I believe we are witnessing a revolution in the design scene in Egypt in terms of interior design and product designer.

I believe design is rooted deeply in the Egyptian culture as it goes back to the Pharaonic era, yet the modern Egyptian designers doesn’t want to go back on time, they want to be influenced by their history but learn from the success stories of others and will be watching the new innovations and be influenced by them. I predict a wave of experimentation in design, I think we will see a lot of experimenting in future designs. Designers will tend to mix different materials and use materials in an unexpected way, appreciating the real value of natural materials like wood, marbles, copper and steel, Also the use of technology, and of course sustainability is one of the main topics trending about design which is very essential and important to shaping our future lifestyle.”