Presentation Salone del Mobile.Milano Annual Report Milano Design (Eco) System 2025

On 19 December 2025, Milan’s Piccolo Teatro Melato hosted the presentation of the second edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano Annual Report Milano Design (Eco) System – a wide-ranging assessment of design’s strategic role as a cultural, social and economic engine for both the city and Italy at large. Bringing together more than 300 guests, including institutional leaders, academics, industry executives and creative professionals, the event examined the evolving impact of Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile.Milano on urban development, cultural production and international competitiveness. Discussions focused on innovation, the growing influence of creative ecosystems, and the contribution of trade fairs and intermediary institutions in strengthening Italy’s design economy. More broadly, the gathering underscored Milan’s ambition to consolidate its position as a global capital of design, research, enterprise and cultural exchange.

Programme

Moderator
Andrea Cabrini, Editor-in-Chief, Class CNBC

Prologue
Tomás Maldonado – Arte e Artefatti
A reading by Pia Lanciatti, curated by Piccolo Teatro di Milano

Introduction
Massimiliano Tarantino, Director, Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli

Part I — Salone as Infrastructure for the Future
Maria Porro, President, Salone del Mobile.Milano

Part II — Design Week 2025
Alessia Cappello, Councillor for Economic Development and Labour Policies, City of Milan
Maria Porro, President, Salone del Mobile.Milano
Francesco Zurlo, Politecnico di Milano
Gianpiero Carocci Silvagni, Manager of 5G & IoT Products, Fastweb + Vodafone

Part III — Sistema Design Milano
Maria Porro, President, Salone del Mobile.Milano
Massimo Bianchini, Politecnico di Milano
Angela Rui, Curator and Researcher, Head of Master of Arts, IED Milano

Part IV — Design as Cultural Production in Milan
Maria Porro, President, Salone del Mobile.Milano
Stefano Maffei, Politecnico di Milano
Andrea Rurale, Director, Intensive Program in Art Markets and Finance, Università Luigi Bocconi

Part V — Salone del Mobile.Milano and Milan Design Week: Impact on the Territory
Maria Porro, President, Salone del Mobile.Milano
Stefano Maffei, Politecnico di Milano
Francesco Zurlo, Politecnico di Milano

Part VI — FederlegnoArredo and Salone del Mobile.Milano
The Role of Intermediary Bodies and Trade Fairs in Enhancing Sector Competitiveness
Claudio Feltrin, President, FederlegnoArredo

Preview of the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026 Communication Campaign
Federico Grassi, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Motel409