"We have had a very strong demand from Chinese buyers. Furniture made in Italy exerts a great attraction on them. It is a status symbol, synonymous with prestige and elegance," Maria Porro, president of the Salone del Mobile, told AFP.
Conversely, the Russians, who occupied before the war in Ukraine the second place of foreign visitors to the show behind the Chinese, with more than 15,600 participants in 2019, will be almost absent.
Visitors to Milan Design Week, April 17, 2023 in Italy © GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
"There will be Russians living outside Russia. They also really appreciate Italian furniture, especially the most classic and luxurious ones," says Porro.
After welcoming 262,608 visitors from 173 countries in 2022, the show will open its doors until Sunday to 1,962 exhibitors, including 550 young designers under 35, on an area of more than 170,000 m2.
A total of 34% of the companies came from abroad. The show will have eight exhibitors from Ukraine, who have benefited from an invitation from the Salone del Mobile.
Visitors to Milan Design Week, April 17, 2023 in Italy © GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
Initiated by Russia, "the war has contributed to accelerating the rise in commodity prices, a process already started during the Covid-19 pandemic," comments Ms. Porro.
Before the war, Ukraine supplied birch wood used in the paper industry, for the production of plywood panels or as a base for wooden flooring.
Among the main trends in the furniture sector in 2023 are, according to Ms. Porro, eco-friendly design and the craze for outdoor furniture, which is as elegant as interior design.
The sector has integrated "the importance given to sustainability, from materials to production processes, which is now mandatory to try to save the planet, because planet B does not exist," argues Porro.
Visitors to Milan Design Week, April 17, 2023 in Italy © GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
The furniture sector in Italy experienced double-digit growth in 2022, driven by a renewed interest in the home, a refuge during long periods of confinement.
Its revenues increased by 11% to 29 billion euros, driven by exports that climbed 12.6% to 15.3 billion euros, according to the association of the Italian furniture industry.
If the first days are reserved for professionals, the show will open its doors to the general public on Saturday and Sunday.
An installation by Lixil Global Design for the Grohe Spa brand, at the Pinacoteca di Brera on the eve of the opening of the Salone del Mobile furniture fair, on April 17, 2023 in Milan © Gabriel BOUYS / AFP
The fair also has its side in town: more than 800 events are organized this week across Milan as part of the "Fuorisalone" (the Outside the Fair), with countless exhibitions and festive evenings around design or fashion.
© 2023 AFP