The annual Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, 14 - 19 of April, 2004 has just closed and marks another highlight in another year (ho hum)of design. Pretty decent weather (for once) tempered the somewhat lackluster performance of the biggest design show on earth. Not only the sun but the stars as well were out with all the big names in attendance. Ron Arad, Tom Dixon, James Irvine, Marcel Wanders,(Marten) Claesson, (Eero) Koivisto, (Ola)Rune, Karim Rashid, The Campana Brothers, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec (also brothers), Alfredo Haberli and the list goes on and on...

There was a little designer musical chairs happening with designers showing up not necessarily where you expect them to. Magis introduced new work from the Bouroullec Brothers and Marcel Wanders. Thonet who has awaken from their Rip Van Winkle nap featured new classics by James Irvine, Classicon had one of our favorite designers, Alfredo Haberli's new seating collection and Khodi Feiz (another big Mod favorite) seemed to be everywhere, showing with several companies at once. Of course our favorite spot (within the fairgrounds that is), the Salone Satellite in Pavilion 9, was teeming with new talent...the SaloneSatellite featured 440 talented young designers from around the world with many design schools represented as well. Helen Kontiouris (www.helenkontouris.com) was a definite stand-out as was the lower level which featured the exhibition "Dining Design". The "Dining Design" exhibit includes restaurants of the future interpreted by Adam D. Tihany, Missoni Home, Paul Smith, and Claudio Sadler.

Some highlights from inside and outside the fair itself include: Offect, fresh from a blow-out show in Stockholm showed what their Viking roots are made off and put in their strongest effort thus far. Derin, the Turkish design company, who put in another amazing showing with a collection of objects we would all like to live with - Edra, as always, made us happy with something old, something new, something worn and something blue - but whatever?? - per usual the Campanas rocked .. Droog and newly formed fellow Dutch company Interior tools offered up the usual unusually usual fair. Artifort introduced incredible new designs including "Bone" a sofa by Matthew Kavanagh that are putting them back in the drivers seat when it comes to instant classics. Designer carpets from Germany offered new designs by Patrick Norguet that are right at home with the Vernor Panton, Pierre Paulin and Karim Rashid designs already in the collection. The British Isles were aptly represented by the "Designersblock" group show with particularly strong presentations by the Scottish segment including our old friends "One Foot Taller".

Of course the parties outside the fair were packed albeit slightly more civilized this year with the exception of the Surface* party of course. DesignBoom made a great effort, but the The big pre-fair blow-out that has become the Cappellini trademark was conspicuously absent this year and left a small pang of disappointment in ones heart.

Footnote:
We would like to thank our friends at vivid in rotterdam for some of the images.