Marva Griffin

Marva Griffin was born in Venezuela, and Milan became her city of adoption when, in the seventies, she started to work in the field of design and furnishing.

She began her career as PR communication at what was then the C&B Italia company (now B&B Italia), working with Piero Ambrogio Busnelli, owner and chairman of the company.

She became the correspondent/representative in Italy for a number of Conde Nast Publications: French Maison & Jardin, Vogue Decoration, American House & Garden and American Vogue. 

For eight years she organised the textile show “Incontri Venezia-Fabrics for Furnishing” in Venice, Italy.

From the first 1998 edition she founded and continues to curate SaloneSatellite, a special event within the Milan’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile that represents a showcase for young creative designers and graduate-to-be students from universities and design schools from all over the world. In May 2014, she received the Premio COMPASSO D’ORO XXIII ALLA CARRIERA.

In addition, for more than 20 years she’s been directing the International Press Office for Salone del Mobile.Milano.

In 2005 she created SaloneSatellite Moscow as an homage to young designers from Russia and neighbour countries.In 2016 she created SaloneSatellite Shanghai began an homage to young designers from China. 

Since 2001 she is a member of the Philip Johnson Architecture and Design Committee at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa), New York, U.S.A.

In March 2014 she was named Expo 2015 WE-Women Ambassador for the 2015 Universal Exhibition hold in the city of Milan.

In December 2016 was named Italian Design Ambassador by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development together with Triennale Design Museum for conferences on “Italian Design Day” in different cities around the world:

March 2017 - DDP Academy Hall, Seoul, South Korea

March 2018 -  Université de Montréal, Canada

March 2019 -  Italian Embassy, Madrid, Spain

November 2020 – Online, Buenos Aires, Argentina