Leather is very much present at the 56th edition of the Salone del Mobile. One of the particularities at this edition, is the harmony in the mix of natural materials such as leather and wood, or even with ecological fabrics, as illustrated by design companies such as Matteo Thun Atelier, Daniele Lago and Jori. Rather than choosing one material over another, buyers will have a myriad of choices in terms of furniture and design compositions.
As an acknowledged benchmark event for the furnishing and design sectors, the Salone del Mobile showcases mixed business with culture, shaping the history of design and furnishing yesterday, today and tomorrow. “In order to preserve and grow our position of leadership, we need to channel our commitment into fostering the ideas and the projects as well as the passion that shines through from the work, the products and the events”, said Claudio Luti, President, Salone del Mobile. “We can no longer think in terms of the Salone as just a trade fair, although it clearly needs to retain its commercial function, but the market is asking us and obliging us to keep our sights firmly fixed on creating experiential events that muster emotions and help people dream, leaving the memory of a moment, an object, a meeting or even a business indelibly etched on their minds”, he added.
According to the latest data released by the Federlegno Arredo Study Centre, furnishing sector exports continued to drive the growth of Italian furniture companies in 2016. International sales in 2016 were worth €8.8 billion (+1.2% on 2015) in Italy, with major signs of growth in France (+4.9%), the U.S. (+8.8%), Spain (+8.5%) and China (+21.9%).
The 56th edition of Salone del Mobile hosts around 2,000 exhibitors in an area of approximately 200,000 sq m. About 300,000 visitors are expected over the six days of the show. In collaboration with ICE, the Italian Institute of Foreign Trade, a series of promotional engagements are being undertaken in the leading Italian export reference markets; China, Russia, USA and Iran, in particular.
