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1. Milan 2010
Report by Mariel Brown and Zoe Stavrou from the trends and strategy
team at global design and innovation company Seymourpowell.
This April we once again joined the multitude of design lovers (a record 329,563 visitors)
nd
heading to Milan for the 32 edition of the International Salone del Mobile. Little did we know
that an untimely volcano eruption would mean our stay would be an extended one! So with all
that extra time to look around the fair, what trends did we find?
This year we observed a gentle progression and softening of last year’s ‘crunched’ themes and
a growing sense of both nostalgia and the need for escapism. What felt particularly positive
about the show was the level at which designers and manufacturers across the board were
engaging with the issue of sustainability.
Contemporary Classics
The utilitarian trend of the last few years has been noticeably softened. An accomplished
example of this was Partricia Urquiola’s Klara armchair for Moroso. The design works on a
simple, linear aesthetic that is harmonious in its curved yet essential shape, which is
th
reminiscent of the first serial productions of the early 20 century.
Another elegant example of this trend was the Bessy lounge chair by Stefan Diez for German
brand E15. Made of oak-veneered plywood with a simple fabric cushion this armchair is a
modern interpretation of a classic lounge chair that has an enduring almost timeless
appearance.
Blow Up
Forms that appeared to have been ‘blown up’ were seen in many guises throughout the fair. An
innovative example of this was Marcel Wanders Sparkling chair for Italian manufacturers Magis.
The product is made of transparent plastic (PET) and is produced using the same blow
moulding technique commonly used for bottles of water. By using this technique Wanders kept
plastic usage to a minimum and the result was a chair that only weighs in at around 1kg.
British designer Tom Dixon’s new Void Lamp has a similarly turgid form that allowed him to
innovate with the quality of light that the lamp gives off. Its spun double walls reflect and soften

2. /cont
the light emitted from a concealed halogen bulb.
Established & Sons collaborated with Italian glass company Venini to give the tradition of glass
blowing an exciting contemporary refresh. One such project was the Print Lamp by Sylvain
Willenz. The Print Lamp gathers within a single bubble of blown glass components usually
found as separate items in pendant lighting. The shade, the colour, the reflector and the diffuser
have effectively all been produced within one elegant gesture.
A personal favourite from the Established & Sons and Venini collaboration was the Bouroullec
Brothers’ Lighthouse Lamp. Here the emphasis was on creating a sense of vulnerability. The
idea was to light up a voluminous round glass structure that would be supported by a delicate
aluminium stick.
Retrographic
One the most distinctive themes to emerge this year, was the use of graphics and geometric
patterns, coupled with a distinctly retro colour palette. With their Paper Plane chair Nipa Doshi
and Jonathan Levien skilfully combined shades of mustard, grey, black and beige and a grid-
like surface pattern with a subtle pinstripe of metallic thread. Although not initially noticed, this
gave much delight to passers-by as the light bounced off the thread, turning heads with a subtle
shimmer.
Other standout pieces include Patricia Urquiola’s Silver Lake collection and Redondo sofa for
Moroso. Again shades of mustard, brown, maroon and grey dominated but with flashes of
terracotta, white and yellow. Both pieces were treated very differently: Redondo exuding
softness with its quilt-like surface detail and cocooning form, and the Silver Lake collection a
more geometric aesthetic. The contrasting use of materials was particularly noted, as on
walking around the collection, different side panels of wood, fabric and leather were revealed –
nicely accented by the highly coloured structural framework.
Quirky pieces such as the Amsterdam Armoire by Scholten & Baijings, was inspired by typically
Dutch design but with a twist. The proportions of the piece and the spherical feet made from
pink glass, coupled with the use of pastel shades and a geometric surface pattern had a flavour

3. /cont
of Ettore Sottsass’s 1980s post modernist designs for Memphis, as did the ‘Phase Bureau’ by
East London’s Patternity and furniture designer Toby Winteringham. Their collaboration on the
Phase range of furniture debuted at the Salone Satellite this year, fusing bold pattern with
traditional marquetry.
Knit one, Purl one
Where weaving had captured many designers imagination last year, this year knitting and wool
made a comeback adding cosy warmth to a number of pieces. The Mangas Naturales rug
collection by Patricia Urquiola is a lovely example of this trend ‘Mangas’ (engl. Sleeves) is
based on a patchwork of different wool knits, to create a collection of various typologies with
different shapes, going from Manga corta (short sleeve) to Manga de campana (bell-shaped
sleeve). The result is a series of eight enchanting carpets with a wonderful variety of textures
and colours.
Charmingly imperfect could be one way of summing up the suitably named Granny pendant
lamp by Australian design group Pudelskern. Each Granny is hand knitted from Tyrolean
sheep’s wool and is signed by the designer.
Equally quirky was Bertjan Pot’s Jumper chair for Established & Sons. Jumper consists of one
continuous oversized woollen knitted cover that is created on a ‘Knit and Wear’ machine usually
used for producing garments. The resemblance to a jumper is completed by the addition of
buttons that fix the cover on to the underside of the chair.
Interestingly, wool was not just used to idiosyncratic effect by designers. Bonbons by promising
young Serbian talent Ana Kras is a sophisticated family of lamps created from wool leftover
from a collection by knitwear company Ivko-knits. The wool was wrapped around coated steel
wire frames to stunning effect.
Back to School
Bringing a naïve and playful charm to this year’s show, many pieces possessed a 'classroom-
like' quality. Utilising a colour palette of primary colours and simple, pale woods, many pieces

4. /cont
referenced the archetypal forms of things that could be found in the classrooms of our youth.
Although appearing in the first instance very simplistic, many of the pieces had a cleverness to
them, whether that be in the method of manufacture or the way in which they can be used. The
JWC2 (Just Wood Chair 2) by Florian Hauswirth for design collective Postfossil is an evolution
of his previous work, which uses an innovative wood joining technique. The chair consists
exclusively of wood and does not require glue in its assembly. Instead, the heat generated by
inserting the dowels releases adhesives present in the wood itself, forming a substantial welded
bond in seconds.
Stefan Diez's modular and stackable storage system New Order for Established & Sons comes
in a selection of primary colours and has a powder coated aluminium exterior. The practicality of
the piece was undeniable and had all of us instantly contemplating the many ways in which we
could use it in our respective homes.
Primal
The force of nature was felt at this year’s show, and not just because of the Eyjafjallajokull
glacier eruption, many designers took the idea of nostalgia to the extreme finding inspiration in
the early origins of man.
At Edra’s The Barbarians show The Campana Brothers displayed their usual confidence in form
and material exhibiting some bold new pieces. Cabana in particular caused a stir. Reminiscent
of a strange creature this piece is in fact a storage unit entirely concealed by dangling lengths of
fire-proofed raffia! The brother’s new table entitled Cotto, had a similarly assured aesthetic. It is
comprised of a stainless steel structure and legs with a thick aluminium top. The tabletop is set
with eight large, variously shaped, and textured pieces of treated terracotta that speaks of the
Etruscans.
French design brand Moustache launched their second collection of furniture at this year’s show
and Matali Crasset caught our eye with her new piece called Instant Armseat. The Instant

5. /cont
Armseat is a wooden chair with one armrest (large enough to place a glass on). The seat can
be transform into a bench joining two Instant Armseats together. What felt particularly fresh
about this design was the Pyrenees sheepskin that was thrown over each chair to add comfort.
The aesthetic was reminiscent of a nomadic lifestyle where evenings are spent under the stars
huddling next to a campfire for warmth.
The great outdoors were also reflected in Gita Gschwendtner Quarry and Soft Crystal Series at
the Swarovski Elements at Work exhibition. Here rock formations were channelled as she cast a
plaster and resin mix as a stool and low table, with a broken away, but crystal-sprinkled corner
that created beauty from imperfection.
Ethereal
Immersive, otherworldly atmospheres were a noticeable theme throughout the fair. All at once
meditative and transcendent, the Toshiba ‘Lucèste’ lighting installation had the crowds sighing
with wonderment. A ceiling-mounted LED installation diffused light through a veil of swirling mist
to suffuse the exhibition space with a spectrum of growing colour, proving that low energy
lighting can be used to great effect.
This year, Swarovski’s Crystal Palace installation really captured the crowd's imagination.
Inspired by the theme of 'palaces', five designers were commissioned to present their
interpretations. Inspired by The Northern Lights, Rogier van der Heide's Dream Cloud sees
crystals that seem to be magically suspended in the air, shimmering in the darkness.
Yves Behar also embraced the use of low-energy LEDs in his piece entitled Amplify - a series of
deceptively simple ‘paper lanterns’ shaped like crystals, within which light was refracted from a
real crystal, casting its patterns on the surface of the paper. Béhar’s design was created with a
focus on sustainability and affordability, featuring a faceted shade made from recycled
materials, one crystal and one low-energy consuming LED light. The design featured 6 different
crystalline shapes in varying sizes, which could either be used individually or clustered together
to striking effect.

6. /cont
One of the stars of this years show was Tokujin Yoshioka, with much of his work possessing an
ethereal quality. The Kartell store featured an installation by the designer, presenting his range
of one-off chairs entitled The Invisibles. A forest of suspended crystalline shards of
polycarbonate provided the perfect backdrop to the chairs – each of them possessing all at
once the lightness of total transparency and the solidity brought by the thickness of the material.
For his Swarovski Crystal Palace installation, Yoshioka created a large globe encrusted with
Swarovski crystals and lit from within by LEDs. Hanging in the centre of the room, it bathed
everything in a soft and hypnotic light bringing depth and intrigue to its accompanying piece:
another globe suspended in a tank of water, on which crystals grew naturally.
Conclusion
In spite of the volcanic plumes threatening our return, this year’s Salone still managed to make
a lasting impression. Many of the pieces were the evolution of work seen at previous shows,
proving that some trends are very much here to stay. In a climate where tender green shoots
are emerging from the recession, pieces that inspire nostalgia, transcendence, confidence and
monumental power are the ones that will connect on a deeper level and prove to be the ones
that will go the distance.
For further information contact:
Tim Duncan
PR Global, Seymourpowell
Email: tim.duncan@seymourpowell.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7386 2369
About Seymourpowell – the shape of things to come
Seymourpowell is one of the world’s leading design and innovation companies. Founded in
1984 by Richard Seymour and Dick Powell, the London-based group of award-winning
designers has produced some of the ‘milestone’ products of the last two decades. The company
is now part of the Loewy Group.
Seymourpowell is currently 80 people, combining a design studio, research centre, materials
library and prototyping workshop.
Seymourpowell has a unique holistic approach to design and innovation, which combines in
depth experience and up to date intelligence about people, markets and businesses. The
company has the ability to forecast and interpret the vital implications of behaviors and work out
future scenarios to give its clients the confidence and reassurance they are making the right
decision.

7. /cont
Seymourpowell is skilled in exploiting ideas that create real value and always look to move
clients forward creatively. Seymourpowell is not just a company of visionary thinkers, but future
‘doers’. Ultimately, Seymourpowell is about making things better: better for people, better for
business and better for the world.
Specialisms include design innovation, transportation design, ethnographic user research,
strategy and new product development (NPD), trends and forecasting, product design and
development, 3D structural design and 2D graphic design