FOLLOW THE LEADER
Memphis-inspired. Mass-market customisation. Animal magnetism. Multipurpose design. It was all at Salone del Mobile 2015.
If you’re struggling to find the perfect piece for your design project, read on. Over the next few pages we showcase some of key looks spotted at this year’s Salone del Mobile. You’re likely to see that elusive item – whatever your style – or to be inspired by one of the striking designs on view at the event. This year, non-conformists revelled in the revival of Memphis, a movement spearheaded by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s. More recently, it’s been reworked by the likes of Kartell and Cappellini – both keen to resurrect the rebellious, rule-breaking attitude for which Memphis was both revered and rebuked.
Materialists, meanwhile, have found inspiration in designs that not only look fantastic but outperform anything that has gone before. Take Moooi’s new carpet collection as an example: it’s made using a ground-breaking Chromojet printer that’s able to produce an unlimited mix of colours in high definition. Or Bontempi Casa’s new collection of dining tables, featuring a virtually indestructible SuperCeramica top. Particularly noteworthy was Piero Lissoni’s Piuma chair for Kartell – a few millimetres thick and weighing just 2.2 kg, thanks to its unique blend of materials.
Fans of craft sought out John Lindstein’s concept Embroidery chair for Cappellini, which has brought embroidery into the 21st Century. Elsewhere, Federica Capitani translated the warm quality of handcrafted designs into the casual Imba collection for Moroso.
Animal-lovers found a swarm of designs inspired by the natural world, including Marcel Wonders’ rocking unicorn for Moooi and Spanish designer Jaime Hayon’s The Bird letter holder for Cassina. This forms part of a limited edition accessories collection commemorating 50 years since Le Corbusier’s death.
Bird wasn’t the only revival to catch our eye. Cassina came up trumps with Stadera, a writing desk created by Franco Albini in 1954 that takes its inspiration from the irregular arms of a Roman pendulum scale. The result is two trapezoid-shaped surfaces supported by a single steel base in matt black. Meanwhile, Knoll was busy celebrating 100 years since the birth of designer Harry Bertoia. Its anniversary edition of Bertoia’s classic Side Chair features a chromium-plated steel rod structure and a polypropylene seat in different colours.
Function certainly did not take second place to form this year; in fact, plenty of designers revealed multipurpose pieces. Think side
tables incorporated into sofas – see Alivar's Swing sofa by Giuseppe Bavuso – and coffee tables combined with bookcases, such as Claudio Bellini's Long Beach sofa for Natuzzi. Elsewhere, poufs were turned into small side tables at De Padova, while Monica Graffeo's debut bed for Twils incorporated hanging space behind the headboard.
For those seeking something out of this world, there was plenty of cosmic inspiration. Diesel Living and Seletti's space-inspired tableware collection was an obvious choice, and Elisa Strozyk's Ceramic Tables collection also took a top spot with us.
Our favourite trend, however, was that of mass-market customisation. Personalisation is no longer for the fortunate few: we can all create a living environment that reflects the way we live.
Look at TOG, which continues its campaign to bring customisable furniture to Joe Public via mass-produced ‘naked' products that customers can tailor to their personal style. It revealed its latest project, connecting customers with creatives who can tailor pieces to precise specifications. Isn't it time to channel your inner designer?