The morning light filters through the glass roof of the Rho Fiera as the world's design elite gather for the 62nd Salone del Mobile, transforming Milan into an immersive showcase of what happens when Italian craftsmanship collides with futuristic vision. This isn't just a furniture fair - it's a six-day design pilgrimage where the entire city becomes an interactive exhibition space.
The 2025 Experience:
- "Breathing Walls" Installation: A collaboration between Kartell and MIT featuring color-shifting polymer panels that react to human presence
- B&B Italia's 55th Anniversary: A recreation of their 1970 showroom with augmented reality overlays showing design evolution
- The Sustainable Circus: In the Tortona District, Philippe Starck curates a carnival of furniture made entirely from ocean plastics
- Secret Garden Project: Hidden in Brera's courtyards, 20 emerging designers create miniature pavilions visible only through special lenses
Beyond the main fairgrounds, the Fuorisalone events spill into unexpected spaces:
- A deconsecrated church hosts "Holy Light", where chandeliers respond to choir music
- The abandoned Innocenti factory becomes a playground for kinetic sculptures
- At 10 Corso Como, visitors can "test drive" prototype chairs while sipping molecular cocktails
"The only week when sitting on a €20,000 sofa is encouraged." - Wallpaper Magazine