The city of Milan lights up during its annual Salone del Mobile, when everyone from the local barman to the mayor gets in on the design action. But there is no group more mobilized than the city's reigning fashion contingent. Partnering with first rate designers, architects and furniture producers, Milan's A-List fashion labels hosted some of the week's most memorable Fuori Salone events. Here we bring you our fashion meets furniture round-up.
Fashion does design at the Salone del Mobile
Fashion does design at the Salone del Mobile
'Light Light' is the creation of Alberto Artesani and Frederik de Wachter of DWA, in collaboration with Servomuto, the Milan based company that recovers and reconstructs forgotten and discarded vintage lamps. A partnership with cashmere company Agnona, the project's title refers not only to the object in question but also Agnona's featherweight fabric
Prior to his death last February, fashion designer Alexander McQueen created several unique designs for The Rug Company. Skulls and military brocade, both signatures of McQueen's runway work, feature in his carpet designs, like this black-and-gold silk-and-wool rug, which the fashion label presented in its Milan store
Other motifs, like a romantic hummingbird design were shown on hand woven pashmina and silk aubusson cushions
Armani/Casa's collection was divided into 'Holiday Home' (which was inspired by the designer's new St. Moritz residence) and 'Metropolitan Home'
But each struck a balance between disciplined, substantial shapes and a new sense of warmth, in addition to brass coloured metal and smooth parchment, materials including fabrics from the Armani/Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli Collection
At Aspesi's showroom in via Montenapoleone, the partnership between furniture and fashion was almost made real, with computer graphic artworks by Robin Rizzini in which the two disciplines literally blend together.
Taking the classic Thonet chair, the Prêt-à-Thonet project demonstrates how some fashion, which tries to improve on a classic form, can 'ruin' beauty through distracting decoration.
For the second year running, Brioni played host to Wallpaper* Handmade - our startling showcase of one-off collaborations between the world's best designers and craftsmen, makers and manufacturers. The exhibition spanned three floors of the Brioni HQ on Via Gesu, as well of the courtyard, where we revealed Konstantin Gricic's very fresh take on tailoring.
Photograph: Andrea Garuti
The specially commissioned pieces included Vincent Darré's graphic, cubism-inspired collaboration with leading rug maker Stepevi (on the wall), a decanter set by Baccarat and Yuri Masnyj; a shoe shine kit by Gareth Neal and Church's; and a pencil set by Johanna Grawunder, Prismacolour and Bonetti Bolgan Woodwork & Lighting
Photograph: Max Montingelli
Diego Dolcini partnered with Sema Topaloğlu and her Istanbul-based interiors, architecture and furniture studio to produce a small range of furniture, shown in the shoe designer's showroom in Via Gerolamo Morone
The collection included tables, lamps and stools, using geometric patterns and shapes, resulting in rustic but refined pieces
As Salone del Mobile celebrated its 50th anniversary, many companies chose to celebrate the city which plays host to the furniture fair each year. Dean and Dan Caten of DSquared2 were invited to revisit and re-imagine an iconic piece of Kartell furniture which was then displayed at the flagship store in Via Turati. Their choice from Kartell's extensive archives? Philippe Starck's 'Masters Chair', to which they added a touch of their native Canadian wilderness
'Mirror Thinking', the installation created by Felice Limosani for Pucci, features 24 twisting and turning mirrors to create an infinite dance, echoing the fluid pattern of a classic Pucci print
The 'Kelvin' table light designed by Antonio Citterio with Toan Nguyen, presented again by Flos at Salone del Mobile 2011, was at Zegna's headquarters with a key innovation. This time, a 'green' element was added. The light only provides the amount of energy needed, and is activated by simply brushing the head of the light, thanks to a sensor
The second presentation by Zegna, 'Net' by Philippe Starck, is a do-it-all design - providing not only light via twenty eight 3000k Top LED's, but also a USB socket for your iPod, iPad and iPhone
As part of a series of live events taking place worldwide, Fendi brought their 'Fatto a Mano for the Future' project to their Via Sant'Andrea store for two days. Visitors to the store were able to witness three designers working with a Fendi artisan to create limited edition design pieces using discarded Fendi leather and fabrics.
Nicola Guerraz's project, '3D Selleria Scribbles', used pipes and leather to create a frame for a Tillandsia flower
Rowan Mersh's project used a riveting machine and the real-time heart rate of the Fendi artisan, stamped on scraps of leather, to create a sculpture that looks like veiny marble
Sandro del Pistoia's modular work using wood tongue depressors (yes, the ones your doctor uses when he says, 'Go ah...') and leather disks created unique expandable spheres
Known for creating sculptural works from cast off materials, Belgium collective Rotor Group presented 'Ex Limbo' at Fondazione Prada - a labyrinth of an installation celebrating the work involved in the making of a fashion show. Incorporated in the piece were fragments from previous shows, such as the beige-painted plywood podium on which photographers gathered to snap the 2011 runways, the pink and green foam seats from 2008 shows, and metal structures used to build in the stands in the late 1990s.
Photography: Agostino Osio
In the paper and cardboard confines of a pavilion designed by Shigeru Ban in La Pelota, Hermès launched its first collection of contemporary furniture by Enzo Mari (pieces pictured) Antonio Citterio, Denis Montel and Eric Benqué, hot on the heels of the pieces it reissued from Jean-Michel Frank in November last year.
New furniture from the Matières collection by Antonio Citterio
For their third year at Salone del Mobile, Maison Martin Margiela's installation 'Géométries Variables’ showed furniture that was edited by Cerruti Baleri and built around the idea of 'pretence'
Leading cashmere brand Malo produced a special edition Bold chair by Big-Game, together with Moustache. The chair, normally covered in a Swiss made 'sock' came in covered in Malo's own cashmere and was shown colour coordinated with the brands core product, a cashmere sweater
The courtyard of Marni's flagship boutique on Via della Spiga was transformed temporarily with a pop-up garden, with images of Lanterna Magica (spring) by artist Sara Rossi projected onto the walls each evening
The garden featured plants traditional to Milanese parks and gardens, and offered an oasis of calm in the middle of the busy city
Massimo Alba used his store to showcase new collections from Zani & Zani and Flat Design
At their flagship store in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Max Mara teamed up with Bodum for an exhibition to celebrate both the 50th anniversary of Salone del Mobile and the 65th anniversary of Bodum. A selection of the Danish brand's most famous coffee makers were displayed under the title, 'Make Taste, Not Waste', demonstrating the sustainability of good design
Moncler's classic quilted jackets were reinterpreted for the Salone del Mobile by visual artists Alexandra Compain Tissier, Jordi Labanda and Erin Petson
Here, Jordi Labanda's ultra stylish ski bunnies are painted in gouache
Consistently assembling Milan's most creative window displays (and we mean all year long, not just for a week in April), Moschino chose to dress its vitrines for the Salone in a spring concoction titled 'Dots and Stripes'
Menswear designer Neil Barrett's moveable bar, a deerskin covered vintage travel trunk, provides everything you need for a party, starting with an inbuilt stereo system
Flung open, the trunk reveals coolers and neoprene storage compartments - perfect for storing chilled bottles of GH Mumm champagne
Sergio Rossi's creative director, Francesco Russo, teamed up with architect Marco Stalla to create the 'Idol' table, inspired by photographer Guy Bourdin and the surrealist movement
French designer Stephanie Marin (Smarin) presented work at Sportmax's new Vincenzo De Cotiis designed store in Via della Spiga 20, including 'Nenuphare' featuring colourful spheres and semi-spheres
Presented along with 'Le Hasard', was this mix and match structural system comprising a bench, desk and two bookshelves
Conceived by Hong Kong based designer Michael Young, the MY Design/100 Bench is made by hand in wood or plastic and covered in Trussardi leather with a pleated motif
The Milan based fashion label's history with industrial design began in the late 1970's when an in-house team designed everything from bicycles to train interiors. Trussardi's collaboration with Alitalia in the 1980's inspired Michael Young's MY Design/100 Chair, shown here with the MY Design/100 Table
Illustrator Liselotte Watkins was given access to Valextra in Via Manzoni for the week, producing a window display and canvases for the walls
The illustrations featured girls carrying classic bags in traditional Milanese settings
Metal is the common thread of Versace's new home collection, used structurally and decoratively
With vibrant colours and opulent fabrics, Donatella Versace uses the brand's rich fashion heritage to inform her furniture designs
