After 2 years of being affected by Covid 19, June 2022 – when the whole world begins a new normal life and Europe gradually removes strict regulations on entry and exit – is the time for Milan Design Week 2022 to start again.
A beauty’s enthusiast, always ready to immerse myself for hours in wonderful works of art like me, definitely cannot miss this one of the biggest and the most important Design Weeks in the world. I’m always “thirsty” for beauty, and I know, coming to Milan Design Week this year, that desire of mine will be partly satisfied.
Departing from Jakarta, Indonesia, I arrived in Milan on June 4. I have never been disappointed in the fashion and design capital of Italy, especially at this moment when there is a series of events about design, welcoming tourists from all over the world to admire.
With a series of days of emotional upliftment and the ability to elevate the worldview at Milan Design Week, I was able to jot down my thoughts and feelings, so that I can now relive the moments with you in the best movie about a colorful summer of Milan in 2022.
Satisfy my love of beauty with an eye-catching design party
Enjoy the design beauty in every corner of Milan
The moment I set foot in the streets of Milan, I was not disappointed. It feels like Milan Design Week doesn’t stop at a neighborhood, an auditorium, a stadium or a big theater like so many events I’ve been to. Before my eyes, every house, every street, every wall, even I feel every pebble, every stone, also has the look and the breath of Milan Design Week. The words “Milan is Design, Design is Milan” appear everywhere, but in different ways, making me as well as every other beauty-loving tourist can’t help but be impressed.
Stunned for a moment, I realized, this is probably Fuorisalone – part of the series of events of Milan Design Week, when designers will start to draw, “dress up” in an unique way to each street corner of the “capital” Milan. As expected of one of the biggest design weeks on the planet, so sophisticated and thorough!
And yet, walking around the streets of Milan, I also felt the sophisticated and modern beauties displayed right from the welcome gate and design space at representative stores of major brands. If Fendi’s Pop-up Bar – located in the “heart” of Milan, where I was fortunate to pass by on its last day there – makes me pause for a few seconds because of the layout like a little cafe shop on the street, with a bar and artistic motifs placed on top, Phillipp Plein makes me feel colorful, brilliant and bursting with hot tones used to decorate the display area at their storefront.
Fendi’s Pop-up bar
Philipp Plein
Milan is created by many colors, many flexible and unique color schemes, fully bringing modern breath and “unpredictable” changes from each brand. Leaving the hustle and bustle from Phillip Plein, I suddenly came across elegant sofas and delicate shelves behind the shiny glass of Saint Laurent. My guess is that Saint Laurent allows other brands to produce their products and display them, and they are not directly involved in the production
It seems that the streets of Milan these days have turned into a special “catwalk”, with “models” being colorful designer products from many popular brands. Walking through Saint Laurent, I feel the pure white color covered on the sofas, feel the contemporary, minimalistic breath but still contain their quintessence. “This is the perfect choice for the living room space of those who like lightness” – I thought to myself
In particular, when we were leisurely walking on the street, we suddenly came across a rather strange chair. It was so strange that me and everyone else had to stop, enter the gallery area and ask to take a photo. That is Joe – a big comfortable chair designed and shaped like 5 fingers, from Poltronova. Yes, creativity is boundless, and I have found true to the claim that design inspiration sometimes comes from the most mundane things. But more specifically, according to my research, this product is exactly inspired by the poetics of Pop Art, with a unique shape to express admiration for the legendary American baseball star Joe DiMaggio. Turning a glove into a comfortable, unique and captivating chair is the ultimate in design sophistication!
Admire the most contemporary furniture designs
The rest of Milan Design Week, which I’m most looking forward to, is Salone del Mobile. If interior design is a giant stage, I will put Salone del Mobile in the middle with the spotlight shining on it, because this is one of the largest and the most important interior design exhibitions in the world, attracting the participation and attention of countless major global brands, mostly from Italy. Of course, these brands must ensure to meet the strict standards set by Salone. It is also an opportunity for beauty lovers like me to be satisfied with a series of elaborate products from the most famous furniture brands.
During the 1 week of the exhibition, my love of beauty was probably filled after 2 years of “low mood”. There, I had the opportunity to experience SLIDE’s Afrika Collection, with its Kroko armchair like a miniature crocodile and the Threebu’ table with a unique, funny shape. They are made from a new type of easily recyclable bioplastic made from sugarcane bagasse. SLIDE surprised me, because it followed the theme of Salone, pioneering a “strange” material to create high-end furniture, as well as the way they created the Amanda table from a material source with up to 30% EcoAllene (a recycled material).
Afrika Collection from SLIDE
Amanda
I was also mesmerized for a few seconds, to the point that I almost forgot to take a few photos when standing in front of the designs made from Italian ceramics that Editions Milano brought. The perfect round block is both modern but also a bit classic, making those who love beauty like me almost “dumbfounded”.
Beauty of Circle collection from Editions Milano
And yet, at Salone del Mobile 2022, I also had the opportunity to “listen” to a new, strange but beautiful remix, and it is hard to deny the special attraction for crazy beauty enthusiasts like me. The author of that mix is LondonArt and DSquared.
The wallpaper that they create makes me feel like I’m lost in a magical garden, where there is a perfect intersection of Canadian carelessness and virtuosity in every detail of the Italians.
From fashion to interior – be delighted with performances from global big brands
Coming to Salone del Mobile 2022 this year, I must confirm that I am also satisfied with the truly excellent and skillful art performances in interior design, coming from brands that are “big guys” in fashion globally. Bringing the right subtle changes from fashion to furniture and accessories, they have mesmerized me with their haughty, outstanding beauty. While writing these lines, while recalling the images I have observed with my own eyes, I still can’t find a suitable word to express all the quintessential feelings that these beauties bring to me.
Salone del Mobile 2022 gave me the opportunity to participate in a special exhibition of Dior Maison. This year, Dior has collaborated with a French designer, Philippe Starck, to refresh their legendary Medallion chair by creating a sophisticated version of Miss Dior, hidden in its iconic features of Louis XVI. I was immersed in the timeless symphonies, while enjoying the wonderful performance that Dior painstakingly brought to the esteemed guests.
Dior’s clever and ingenious stage arrangement makes viewers sometimes get goosebumps because they are so impressed with the slender and gentle lines of the Miss Dior Medallion chair or the colors of black chrome, rose bronze and gold covered with each row of seats. All created a beautiful stage, combined with carefully calculated shifts in light and the “thorny” sounds of classical music, making me feel like I’m looking at an unreal picture. It is no longer just an exhibition of chairs and furniture, but really an art performance that is delicately woven and carefully detailed by the director, enough to make viewers satisfied until the very last moment.
If Dior impressed me deeply with the meticulous attention to detail to create an unforgettable art stage about the chairs, Louis Vuitton helped me to clearly feel the contemporary taste hidden in each of their interior designs. Perhaps, Salone this year has favored me too much, because I had the opportunity to become a VIP guest of Louis Vuitton, which also means that I have the opportunity to fully immerse myself in luxury and high-class beauty that this French brand brings. This year, combining with celebrating the 10th anniversary of the launch of Objets Nomades collection, Louis Vuitton has a milestone worth mentioning with this year’s Salone.
Arriving at Garage Traversi, opposite the Golden Square in Milan – where Louis Vuitton spent 2 floors as a display venue, I was overwhelmed with the “massive” design space from the outside to the inside. Each premium product is cleverly placed and evocative. This year, this brand presented global beauty fans with its latest collection, featuring designs by Atelier Oi, Raw Edges and Campana Brothers. In addition, I also got to see firsthand a range of Louis Vuitton products from the past decade here, easily accounting for more than 60 nomadic pieces at Salone this year.
It feels like I’m “falling in love” not only with the outfits and bags that have made Louis Vuitton famous, but also with their extremely creative space design. In the outer area, I have seen them leave an area that looks like a miniature round yacht, to display their products. A work of art that is dense with a contemporary breath that makes me really impressed.
And yet, when going inside, an alternating light – dark space is enough to highlight every design, causing the effect like a real art exhibition, helping me feel that in front of my eyes, it seems like these are not just the chairs anymore. They are truly incubated products with timeless artistic value, momentarily making the viewer freeze because of their perfect beauty. Each chair is arranged in a separate area, cleverly combined with visuals and accompanying details such as cabinets, standing lights, mirrors, and Louis Vuitton aesthetic color scheme, making me feel like I satisfy love with beauty.
In addition, Dolce&Gabbana at Salone 2022 also made a strong impression on me with its brilliant layout, playing of “layers of layers” colors and most of the spirit “true strong” of this bra, from the outside into the inside, to their signature furniture products.
It’s also a bit of a pity that at this year’s Salone del Mobile 2022, due to many objective factors, I missed experiencing Hermès’ furniture. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to admire Hermès’ beautiful, delicate and graceful products directly!
Go against the past with nostalgic colors
Besides new things that can captivate an interior “addict” like me, Salone del Mobile this year also gave me many slices of poetic nostalgia, making me feel like I was reliving the old days with famous products in the high-end furniture market.
Strolling around the well-decorated and beautifully decorated stalls, I had to stop a couple of times to admire Mascheroni’s sophisticated products. Classic beauty exists from the Cosmic chairs reminiscent of spaceships, from the high and noble Prior table, which is not lacking in magnificence and full of authority. The aristocrats were immersed in the beautiful classical beauty, freely enjoying the upmarket space worthy of class.
Mascheroni
I also saw “treasures” in the home cinema area, beautifully recreated by the handshake of Aston Martin and Tonino Lamborghini. The massage chairs are covered with classic colors, versatile, high-class and comprehensively beautiful, making the direct visitor, like me, really have to stop and take a closer look.
Satisfy my love of connection with global design-loving people
Besides satisfying the love of beauty, the love of high-class furniture, coming to Milan Design Week 2022, I also have the opportunity to reunite with interior-loving and design-loving people from all over the world. Not only talking and sharing knowledge, beautiful stories around beauty, we also connect, make friends and freely spread our passion directly, instead of just through the computer screen which is as rigid as the past two years.
After a week of taking place, Milan Design Week 2022 has come to an end. Deposited in me are diverse pieces that create a complete and emotional overall picture. Maybe it’s been a long time since I’ve experienced such a beautiful, professional live event that gave me the opportunity to fall in love with my own love of beauty.
Thanks to Milan Design Week 2022 and Salone del Mobile 2022, I could have such wonderful experiences during these brilliant summer days in Milan, Italy. And I always remember, “Salone is over but design goes on”, the love of design in each of us will always live like that, to protect, appreciate, honor and accompany global beauty!
