The Salone del Mobile.Milano travels to New Delhi, India

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New Delhi, panoramic view of the city

The event has been officially presented, for the first time, in the Indian capital. The setting was one of the most prestigious artistic events on the Asian calendar, namely the India Art Fair directed by Jaya Asokan, which since last year has devoted a pavilion and special attention to design, and in particular collectible design

The event kicked off during the evening of 7 February at the Rani Bagh gardens of the Taj Palace, with the participation of a delegation from the Salone del Mobile.Milano in the prestigious AD100 India awards ceremony. Every year this celebrates the finest architects, designers and interior decorators in the country. On that occasion, Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano was invited to present the ‘Award for Excellence in the Recovery of a Historic Building’ to Mathew and Ghosh Architects, the former designers of the famous MAP Museum of Photography in Bangalore, for their work at RBANM's High School in Ulsoor. The attractive nineteenth-century colonial building was renewed by Soumitro Ghosh and Nisha Mathew for use as a school.

On the morning of Saturday 8 February, under a clear sky, there followed the first Indian presentation of the coming edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano. The location was that of the Italian Cultural Institute directed by Andrea Anastasio, who opened the meeting by presenting the official greetings of Antonio Bartoli, Ambassador of Italy to India and Nepal. “Almost 2,000 exhibitors from all over the world. Over 370,000 visitors. Some 2 million interactions between people. These incredible numbers make the Salone del Mobile in Milan a global reference brand,” explained Bartoli. “The ability to combine style, elegance, tradition and innovation is a trait common to both Indian and Italian design. The presence of the Salone del Mobile in the context of the India Art Fair will certainly foster further synergies and partnerships between our design industries.” Antonietta Baccanari, Director of the ICE Office in New Delhi and Coordinator for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka then recalled how design enthusiasts in India have long recognized the excellence and innovation of Italian craftsmanship, with Italy remaining firmly positioned as the third largest supplier of furniture items in India.

“The Salone del Mobile is not just design, but an experience that connects people, ideas and traditions,” explained Andrea Anastasio, leading a discussion with the President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano Maria Porro and Andrea Vaiani, Salone del Mobile’s Exhibitions Director. They illustrated both the important cultural program presented by the next edition of the event, but also underlined the Salone del Mobile’s interest in emerging markets. “India is increasingly a market of interest for the Salone and for the whole Italian furniture sector,” explained Vaiani. “In 2023, the Italian Furniture Macrosystem enjoyed a brilliant performance that put it in 27th place among the leading destinations, with a growth of +19.1% over 2022 and a total value of 112 million euros. In addition, India has consistently ranked among the top ten countries in terms of the number of visitors to the Salone del Mobile in recent editions. This is why we are here: to strengthen dialogue, create new connections and accompany Italian companies in an increasingly dynamic and receptive context.” After illustrating the innovations at the coming edition of Euroluce and the Euroluce International Lighting Forum, Maria Porro explained: “The Salone also represents a meeting platform, for growth and intercultural dialogue, a bright creative hub.”

salonemilano, india — From left, Andrea Anastasio, Director of Italian Cultural Institute, New Delhi;
Andrea Vaiani, Salone del Mobile.Milano’s Exhibitions Director; Maria Porro, President of Salone del Mobile.Milano

This was followed by a talk with an evocative title, capable of fostering the ties between the two countries: “When Design meets Art and Craft. A conversation between Italy and India”, moderated by the curatorial director of the STIR platform, Samta Nadeem, in conversation with President Maria Porro, interior designer Iram Sultan of Iram Sultan Design Studio, brand strategist Malika Verma of Border&Fall, and designer Federico Fraternale of Tarostudio. The discussion turned on the spaces of intersection between design and craftsmanship, and how a large and complex event like the Milan trade fair can and has to cover this whole wide creative and productive range. The speakers also presented an overview of craftsmanship as a cultural and professional bridge, the possible dialogue between Made in Italy and Made in India, as well as the approach to design production historically common to the two nations. They further noted the insights that arise from the visit to the Salone by Indian professionals, who consider it the key moment of their annual calendar, while relations with the ancient craftwork epicenters, such as Brianza, pivotal places for the history of the event, due to their nature also resonate strongly among the Indian public.

“An encounter to explore the ways that design can build bridges, redefine perceptions and create new synergies between two countries with strong creative identities,” Porro concluded. “Being in Delhi was a unique opportunity to tell the story of our Salone, but also to have the Indian design community tell us about the incredible things that are happening here.”

10 February 2025

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