An Exhibitors view of the Milan Furniture Fair 2010

clip_image001_thumb Yes it's been nearly a month and I still haven't posted these photos. Here are the highlights from an exhibitors limited perspective from the show; with long hours and not being able to venture to far away from your stand and miss out on 'the one' most important contact! Well there are allot of images, and not much text (who reads that anyway) hopefully something will catch your eye as you scroll through as they caught mine. mmm my new Leica camera, all photos are though the beautifully designed lens of this. clip_image001 Arrival in Milan and straight to the Satellite to set up. clip_image002 clip_image003 It had been a long day...nearly back to the apartment... clip_image004 ...to have a much deserved and needed beverage. Cheers! clip_image005 After that pick me up we ventured in to town to Zona Tortona and stumbled across the Marcel Wanders "United Crystal Wood' exhibition for Baccarat. I was a bit more interested in the little characters around the work  as was MocoLoco. clip_image006 clip_image007 clip_image008 clip_image009 clip_image010 clip_image011 1st day of the show. clip_image012 clip_image013 Ready for action. clip_image014 The SaloneSatellite was split up into different areas of the world (not sure why we're in the American zone) with each zone having it's own colour and chill out area for exhausted visitors. clip_image015 this was the first seating that caught my eye, hinged squares, clever. clip_image016 The finished stand, with visitors trickling over. clip_image017 Seating area 2 - this had some great graffiti on it by the end of the week. clip_image018 The walking was too much for some people. clip_image019 Chatting the chat. clip_image020 clip_image021 clip_image022 RCA party at the old Lambretta factory. clip_image023 clip_image024 On our way back from the RCA party we passed this busty exhibition in Spazio Undai and couldn't resist a detour. clip_image025 I bumped into Jens Praet who I first met during the RADOSTAR exhibition in Switzerland last September where we exhibited together. This time he was part of the Transparency exhibition which included work by Jens Praet, studio Vibeke Skar and friends. The products were truly beautiful : clip_image026 ARCTIC COLLECTION clip_image027 PARTICLE COLLECTION - made from sawdust and resin but with a glossy finish. clip_image028 Elsewear in Spazio Unda. clip_image029 Laikingland and their Kinetic objects, we had a demo of the part popper puller. clip_image030 Storm in a New English Tea Cup By John Lumbus, clever and quirky but at £550 quite an expensive cup of tea for me! clip_image031 clip_image032 then off for much needed food. clip_image033 Pizza, no surprise there, the surprise came with a gift of beautiful dangley earings from the waitress, mmm. clip_image034 Back to the show, some children taking a spin in Rupert's Egg. clip_image035 Busy busy clip_image036 Quick lunch in the sun. clip_image037 The end of the day, but spirits are still high. Good to see the Tuffet Stools being used too. clip_image038 Seating area 3 clip_image039 clip_image040 By now I needed a wander when I saw The New Act who are a Swedish collaboration between Charlotte Ryberg and Johanna Strand. I was great to see Charlotte as we studied together at Kalmar University back in 2003. clip_image041 This is their ‘Different Angles’ Screen. I continued on my wander and saw some interesting display techniques: clip_image042 Really...honestly... do you think they meant to write 'samples didn't arrive in time’? If I had more stock I would have put in this stand! clip_image043 Really eye catching and with a large crowd around it was the 'Seasons' Collection by Nao Tamura which was flexible serving ware which you can roll away for storage. clip_image044 clip_image045 Seating Area 4 clip_image046 d.lab pre-edtions, I love love love their collections, I first saw their 'object around the tablescape' collection at Maison et Objet last January. I can't get enough of the pared down forms and intelligent use of materials. clip_image047 clip_image048 Nearby was the Young Serbian Designers Stand which had 10 different designs all of which had their own individual personality but worked brilliantly as a collective. My personal favourites were the TEAT / 3-legged stool and SUGAR BEARS which focused on how with global warming, polar bears are an endangered species. clip_image049 I also briefly ventured into the Main Halls which are full of the 'Big Boys', with huge no expense spared stands. Here are a few of the hidden away details I appreciated. clip_image050 Paper clothes clip_image051 Minimal playing cards clip_image052 colour clip_image053 white clip_image054 simple accessories. clip_image055 One great example of simplicity was the Kose stand, i loved the fragile forms and use of muted colour pallet. It reminded me you don't have to have colour to make a design beautiful. clip_image056clip_image057 clip_image058 Back in the Satellite are the girls from Scene and Warm, who were both past exhibitors with Hidden Art. It's inspiring and promising to see designers coming back and reaping the benefits from the show. clip_image059 I’m loving the kid at the back trying to squeeze in a few more centimetres! clip_image060 clip_image061 Happy it's the end of another day clip_image062 Greeted by really random Italian TV! clip_image063 Okay?!!! clip_image064 well it entertained us! clip_image065 I decided to try out the Thomas Heatherwick Spun chair by Magis. clip_image066 clip_image067 ...not so sure! clip_image068 The 100 Kilo test... clip_image069 ...the look of disbelief... clip_image070 ...now the real test, on Rupert's Bounce Chaise Longue, which it cantilevered at the foot end....easy does it... clip_image071 tada...passed. clip_image072 Is this business card Genius or madness, you decide. clip_image073 These were so charming, I want to frame them, the problem is I just can't read the card to tell you who they were from. clip_image074 Patternity's reverse of their brochure. clip_image075 clip_image076 The Hidden Art boys planning the pack up. clip_image077 It's been a long week! clip_image078 When the last visitor is gone, we leapt into action for the breakdown. clip_image079 clip_image080 All done, with wine in hand back to the flat. clip_image081clip_image081[1] After the show: thanks to Eyjafjallajoekull erupting over in Iceland, our flights were cancelled twice, but at least we had a chance to see a little bit of the sun and Milano. clip_image082 clip_image083 Duomo di Milano Cathedral clip_image084 '100% British Design' Design Supermarket at the Rinascente department store. clip_image085 La Triennale Design Museum unfortunately most of the shows had already been packed away, so this is what remained. clip_image086 clip_image087 clip_image088 The Campari bar- a little too early in the morning for that. clip_image089 Castello Sforzesco clip_image090 clip_image091 clip_image092 clip_image093 Our apartment had this cleaver bit of space saving for the washing up. clip_image094 We eventually paid to get on a coach organised by the British consulate (150 Euros for the privilege).  It felt like an evacuation, with flags and luggage. clip_image095 clip_image096 a bit more waiting...but at least it was in the sun. clip_image097 This was our home for 23 hours thank goodness for ipods and TED podcasts! clip_image098 some nice views out the window of the Swiss countryside. clip_image099 clip_image100 clip_image101 clip_image102 The discovery of Bolognaise crisps eased the journey. clip_image103 Onto the Eurostar by coach. clip_image104 This is the coach driver showing off how tight the drive is. THEN HOME! back in London yay! Well done, you've made it to the end of this mammoth blog, you probably feel like we did after the coach! Until next year arrivederci Milano.