Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

We're quite aware that Milan's Design Week is not actually over yet but we're "avanti" like that. At this year's fashion week of furniture there were plenty of new collections to see, parties to go to and places to visit. Swide gives you a round up of the best of the week.

ESTABLISHED & SONS

The strongest collection was from British Established & Sons, who erected a temporary showroom in La Pelota for their fifth collection. Owned by Alasdhair Willis, other half of fashion designer Stella McCartney, it’s no wonder that their party is the highlight of the week. Sadly, it’s 'no ticket no entry' but we managed to get one (see below) and even the invites look cool.

Designers Sam Hecht, Sebastian Wrong & Richard Wood (featured below) all exhibited as part of the Established & Sons collection.

SAM HECHT - TABLE BENCH CHAIR
We loved his playful Table Bench Chair which handily combines three pieces of furniture into one. Designed by Sam Hecht who also acts as European Design Advisor for Japanese Muji, the brand that pioneered domestic minimalism. Hecht was inspired by the seating plan on the world’s busiest train line the Yamanote line.

SEBASTIAN WRONG & RICHARD WOODS - BRICKS AND MORTAR
Innovation is not something we normally get to associate with sofa design. That’s why we were excited to see an armchair that injects a bit of fun into our living rooms. Titled simply Bricks and Mortar it is designed by Sebastian Wrong and artist Richard Woods. Who would have ever thought bricks could be so comfy.

NENDO
Japanese design outfit Nendo are currently hot design property. We loved their Antler chair for Italian furniture giant Cappellini which put and end to hanging things on the back of your chair, just hook it on the antler. We also caught Nendo’s delicate blown-fabric lanterns at the Triennale exhibition Tokyo Fiber: Senseware curated by Muji art-director Kenya Hara.

B&B ITALIA
Over at Via Durini’s B&B Italia one lucky chair got a birthday party and makeover. Gaetano Pesce’s femininely curvaceous Up 5and Up 6 chair turned 40 years old and its outfit for the special occasion was a reupholstery in silver. Born in 1969, it still looks great and we just wish it could share its beauty secrets.

MOOOI
Avant garde Dutch design firm Moooi looked to literature for inspiration and this oak wooden lamp called Brave New World makes a statement about Big Brother culture.

NOBODY & Co
Can't be bothered to get up from your chair to get a book to read. The Bibliochaise from Nobody and co means you don’t have to. It combines a bookshelf and a chair in one. You can choose the colour of the wood and the cushion.

KARTELL
Although you wouldn’t think it to look at her Barbie turned 50 this year. We all know she’s plastic fantastic so it was only apt that she teamed up with Kartell, whose famous plastic Louis Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck turned 60 this year. To celebrate, Kartell draped its shop windows with the life-sized doll in some six temporary homes even issuing Philippe Starck’s Louis ghost chairs and the Lou Lou ghost in a palette suitable for her pony-tailed highness.

EUROLUCE
Alongside Salone del Mobile this year was the biennial lighting exhibition Euroluce. Over four exhibition halls and 43,000 square metres of space were dedicated to lighting and we pick the best of the bunch below.

FLOS
Italian lighting company Flos was our favourite where prolific Dutch designer Marcel Wanders unveiled his CANCAN lights. Inspired by Belle Epoque cabaret dancers the lights look like a Can-can skirt, never has looking up at a light felt so naughty. We caught up with Marcel at the fair who also told us about his new interiors project for Middle Eastern luxury fashion retailer Villa Moda. Its recently opened store in Bahrain will be providing its residents with D&G for one of the first times.

INGO MAURER
German doyenne of lighting Ingo Maurer’s stand at the Fiera had a particularly emotional light called Lacrime del Pescatore, meaning tears of the fisherman. Resembling a traditional fishing net its tears are made from over 350 crystals.

REPORT BY MIYO WADA

For more Japanese trends and worldwide trend tips see Miyo's blog at miyowadawants.blogspot.com

 

For more Swide Salone Del Mobile 2009 street scene snapshots see:
www.swide.com/Eyes-Swide-shot--An-opening-where-you-actually-look-at-the-exhibits-

www.swide.com/Eyes-Swide-shot--Anna-Wintour-at-Milan-design-week-

www.swide.com/Eyes-Swide-shot--A-little-bit-of-LA-comes-to-Milan

www.swide.com/The-cool-off--Design-v-fashion

 

 

TAGS: salone del mobile 2009 milan design week 2009 design kartell nendo established & sons moooi b&b italia flos nobody & co sebastian wong richard woods euroluce