On safari
Mike Thorburn from ECC reports on releases by Moooi and Paola Lenti
I’ve always suggested to people who like design that Milan is an incredibly worthwhile fair to go to. It’s the biggest furniture fair in the world and you get a really rounded view on what’s available.
Moooi
Moooi and Marcel Wanders were in full form – they are a bit offbeat and push the boundaries. Their theme this year was extinct animals and their exhibition was geared around walking down a long hallway at the end of which was an incredibly realistic image of a big bison looking at you. Wool rugs and fur – Moooi has done rugs for a few years but this year they focused on primordial animal prints, which are made with New Zealand wool. They are soft and luxurious. As well as lamb’s wool, there was quite a bit of fur. I really liked the ‘Smoke’ armchairs by Moooi, which were only done for the show – they’ve done these beautiful burnt armchairs for years and this year they were covered in yak, making it a bit luxurious. Lighting – About 70 or 80 pieces make up the ‘Mega’ chandelier; it’s enormous and we’ve sold one already. The piece is an eclectic range of chandeliers put together in one on a big ceiling scape – amazing!
Paola Lenti
This brand is another favourite. They didn’t show at the fairgrounds but at an old warehouse and it was very beautifully done. Their range of outdoor furniture is made from rope in a kaleidoscope of colours including peppermint greens, yellows and pinks. They had a spectacular marble table too in a bold, contrasting pattern – a style in marble we saw repeated in other collections at Milan this year.