Exhibitions A story about the first moments of “supersalone” Text by Teo Sandigliano Add to bookmarks New display solutions, the desire to start being bold again, the return of an international public We’ve done it! After a year and a half’s break, the Salone del Mobile.Milano has faced up to the period of uncertainty and is back with an event that aims to be a watershed. The first few hours of being open to the general public (not just professionals) have shown very clearly that “supersalone” has become a symbol of an undoubtedly complex but necessary restart, drawing in all the protagonists of the sector, from the companies to the public. It’s a feeling also shared by the many international visitors. “The first challenge we’ve overcome was to bring an international audience back to Milan in complete safety. The tickets (available online only) show that almost half of the visitors so far have come from 115 other countries, 89 of them non-EU,” said Andrea Vaiani, Exhibitions Director of the Salone del Mobile.Milano. While it’s true that the enthusiasm among the visitors in Corso Italia is palpable the minute you get to the Rho Milan Fairgrounds, the real surprise is when you go into one of the four pavilions devoted to the event: aside from the sense of openness and broad range produced by the installation, there’s an air of novelty. The layout, custom designed for this special occasion, required the companies to think up new ways of narrating their own images and identities, not least through innovative solutions for their stand set-ups. In the lanes packed with ideas, as well as the pieces displayed to their best advantage, there are also informative videos and imaginative installations. The brands have taken up the challenge launched by the “supersalone” curator, Stefano Boeri, and sought out new ways of presenting themselves, with creativity uppermost. Although the arrangements are different from the actual Salone, which will be back in April 2022, this all-new early September fair has proved its ability to be an international event: focused on the content, the products, the quality and the voices of the stars of the sector, from the companies to the schools. This is a horizontal “supersalone” accompanied by a packed programme of meetings and exhibitions designed to provide an exhaustive snapshot of a world undergoing total change. Yet again, the Salone del Mobile and the city of Milan have proved to be a key and exceptional draw, coming up with an original format for the very first time, not just in terms of its typology and offering, but also because it has dared to create something we all needed at a particular moment in time. This is why “supersalone” really is an unmissable event.
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