With over 2,000 exhibitors and nearly 350,000 visitors last month, Milan’s furniture fair still proves to be the best in the world. Take a look at these new products by Sou Fujimoto for Alias, Alberto Lievore and Jeannette Altherr for Arper, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Magis, Piero Lissoni for Knoll, Ferruccio Laviani for Emmemobili, Jaime Hayon for Aleta, Gabriele and Oscar Buratti for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, and Yabu Pushelberg for Glas Italia.
Salone del Mobile 2017
Bookchair
Inspired by the relationship between space and the human body, Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto created Bookchair for the Italian line Alias. An object within an object, the compact shelving unit incorporates a chair that can be extracted. The bookcase is made of lacquered MDF. The seat is in the same finish and material.
Clia
Designed by Barcelona-based Alberto Lievore and Jeannette Altherr, Cila was inspired by the image of layers of cloth enveloping the body, its distinctive curve a symbol of shelter. The lightweight plastic shell can be customized in six colors, with optional seat cushions or fully upholstered in a range of textures, colors, and styles. Base options include metal or wood legs, a metal sled, or a swivel base with castors.
Officina
The Officina collection designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Magis features a curving wrought iron frame that gives the elegant seating an industrial bent. New this year is a bench as well as a series of upholstered pieces that includes an armchair, ottoman, and plush two and three-seat sofas.
Officina
The Officina collection designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Magis features a curving wrought iron frame that gives the elegant seating an industrial bent. New this year is a bench as well as a series of upholstered pieces that includes an armchair, ottoman, and plush two and three-seat sofas.
Grasshopper
Piero Lissoni had several introductions for Knoll at the fair. Grasshopper is a dining table characterized by a slender tabletop in marble, glass, or wood and a thin cast-steel base that is either chromed, burnished, or painted. The top is available in a round shape or rectangular with rounded edges. Grasshopper also includes a family of low tables with the round top and similar finishes.
Baldo
Emmemobili is a family-run furniture maker that specializes in wood. For the Baldo table, conceived by renowned designer Ferruccio Laviani, the four legs that support the heavily veined marble top are designed as frames for small sculptures in wood. Laviani was inspired by early Modernism, combining the tradition of Italian rationalist design with metaphysical painting.
Aleta
The Aleta collection of chairs and stools by Madrid-born designer Jaime Hayon was inspired by the form and movement of sharks—aleta means “fin” in Spanish. The comfortable upholstered seat is available with a high or low back, in a variety of fabrics and colors. There are a number of options for the base, including wood or metal legs, and a swivel base with or without castors.
ANN and SUU
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna has a nearly 125-year history of making bentwood chairs. This year, Milan-based architects Gabriele and Oscar Buratti built on that esteemed tradition while introducing a new, functional aspect. The brothers designed sibling chairs, ANN and SUU— one with a straight seat back, the other rounded—that are stackable. Available upholstered in fabrics or leathers.
ANN and SUU
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna has a nearly 125-year history of making bentwood chairs. This year, Milan-based architects Gabriele and Oscar Buratti built on that esteemed tradition while introducing a new, functional aspect. The brothers designed sibling chairs, ANN and SUU— one with a straight seat back, the other rounded—that are stackable. Available upholstered in fabrics or leathers.
Folio
Folio is a simple but expressive desk made from a single sheet of transparent 0.6"-thick extra-light curved glass. Inspired by folded paper, the desk's pared-back lines, flat planes, strategic arcs, and square edges celebrate craftsmanship and the qualities of clear glass. Folio is one of two products designed by Yabu Pushelberg this year for Glas Italia. The Toronto and New York–based design firm also created a similarly scaled vanity called Strata.
