Superlative manufacturing, scouting for new ideas and great masters of Italian design comprise the main ingredients of the upcoming Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai, from 22nd to 24th November at the SEC – Shanghai Exhibition Center, unveiled at the press conference and Red Night held by the Salone in Shanghai today.
Riding high on the success and huge interest generated by the previous editions, attended by more than 40,000 tremendously high profile visitors overall, the Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai is set to return with great optimism and poised to continue its constructive and profitable dialogue with the Chinese market, increasingly attracted to the creativity and original manufacturing value embodied by the event.
“Shanghai is a fundamental strand in the internationalization process the Salone del Mobile.Milano has undertaken over the last few years geared to bringing prime Italian manufacturing to the Chinese market. Our objective is to strengthen the links between our two cultures, both with a wealth of history and experience behind them, and both keen to communicate the quality, originality and creativity of Italian furnishing to further build on Made in Italy's strong powers of attraction” said Claudio Luti, President of the Salone del Mobile.
Convinced of the value of the Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai as a commercial and cultural bridge between Italy and China, and of its ongoing success, Ettore Sequi, Italian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China had this to say:
“Since the beginning, we fully supported the Salone del Mobile.Milano in Shanghai and I'm sure that this third edition will be even more successful than the previous ones. Nowadays the Chinese market is facing enormous changes: quality, innovation and beauty are the key factors of this transformation. Italian brands are ideal partners in this new phase thanks to the extraordinarily high quality of Italian design, furnishing and innovation. Not to mention the world renowned beauty of the Italian products”.
Around 400 famous architects and interior designers, real estate promoters and sectoral professionals took part in the Red Night at the atmospheric Cha Villa, bathed in “Salone red” light for the occasion. The guests were the first to know about the protagonists of the new edition: 119 top Italian brands chosen to showcase their very best products for a total immersion in the beauty and quality, luxury and elegance of Made in Italy.
The same furnishing concepts presented by these companies over these three days given over to design were showcased in Milan:
Agresti, Angelo Cappellini & C., Annibale Colombo, Antonio Lupi Design, Aran Cucine, Aran World, Arc Linea Arredamenti, Arketipo, Artemide, Artemide Architectural, Asnaghi Interiors, Asnaghi Interiors The Art of The Italian Style Furniture Since 1916 , Asnaghi Interiors Design, Atmosphera, B&B Italia, Baldi, Barovier & Toso, Baxter, BelCor Interiors, Binova, Blumarine Home Collection, Bruno Zampa, Busnelli, C Contract, Calligaris, Capital Collection, Cattelan Italia, Ceccotti Collezioni, Citco, Clan, Compagnia Italiana del Cristallo, Cornelio Cappellini, Cubo Design, Dada, Daytona, Diesel, Dimensione Chi Wing Lo, Edra, Elledue Arredamenti, Ernestomeda, Etro Home Interiors, Flexform, Flexform-Mood, Florim, Florim Stone, Flou, Former, Foscarini, Frag, Frigerio Poltrone e Divani, Gallotti & Radice, Gessi, Gianfranco Ferrè Home, Giorgetti, Giorgio Collection, IPE, JC Passion, Jumbo Collection, Kartell, Kohro, Lema, Living Divani, Longhi, Lualdi, Luciano Zonta, Magis, Malerba, Maroni, Martinelli Luce, Masiero, Maxalto, Minotti, Mirabello Carrara, MissoniHome, MisuraEmme, Molteni & C., Moroso, Natevo, Natuzzi Italia, Natuzzi, Officine Gullo, Oluce, Opera Contemporary, Paolo Castelli, Patrizia Garganti, Poliform, Poltrona Frau, Porada Arredi, Prophilo, Porro, Provasi, Quagliotti, Reflex, R1920, Richard Ginori, Riva Industria Mobili, Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors, Roberto Cavalli Home Luxury Tableware, Salda, Savio Firmino, Scavolini, Shake, Sigma L2 Paolo Granchi, Signorini e Coco, Smania Industria Italiana Mobili, T & J Vestor, Technogym, Trussardi, Turri, Ulivi Salotti, Villari, Visionnaire Home Philosophy, Vittoria Frigerio Milano, Wall&Deco, Wykt, Zanaboni Salotti Classici, Zanotta.
Design (72 brands) – products embodying functionality, innovation and great looks. xLux/Classico (47 brands) – products that marry classic elegance and contemporary design.
“China has become an increasingly central market in the export strategies of Italian furnishing companies and this is borne out by the export results for 2017, which closed up 36.5%,” said Emanuele Orsini, President of FederlegnoArredo and Federlegno Arredo Eventi. “Appreciation of Made in Italy furnishing is continuing to soar in China and our companies have what it takes in terms of quality and craftsmanship and design. It is in our interest to continue to invest in China, where we enjoy absolute primacy as the leading furnishing suppliers. It therefore gives me great pleasure to underscore our excellent partnership with ICE, which wholeheartedly supports our activities and encourages us to invest in this country with such tremendous opportunities”.
Right from the outset, the Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai has seen Federlegno Arredo Eventi and its Chinese partner VNU Exhibitions Asia working very closely to make this show a well-recognized and not-to-be-missed appointment for the Chinese design, architecture and furniture-related community.
“Salone del Mobile.Shanghai has proved to exceed expectations in the first 2 editions and keeps creating a world-class meeting point for Italian and Chinese designers, architects, and furniture lovers. VNU Exhibitions Asia is honored to carry on the 57 year legacy of Salone del Mobile.Milano and establish the brand as China's leading event for top quality furniture brands” said David Zhong, President of VNU Exhibitions Asia.
Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai can also still count on the support of ICE, Italian government agency which helps the economic and commercial development of Italian businesses abroad and works to promote foreign investment in Italy, in a bid to formulate a range of strategic activities to trigger the interest and participation of Chinese professionals, interior designers and journalist. Yet again great store is being set by the quality of potential visitors. Last year, they came from China's top tier regions – Shanghai, Beijing and Guangdong – and from those experiencing strong growth – such as Sichuan, Fujian, Shandong, Henan and Hubei – increasing the potential for concrete business opportunities for exhibitors and providing an extraordinary platform for increased visibility and success on the Chinese market, the most dynamic in the world.
“Exports of Italian furniture to China rose 42% in 2017, to a value of 519 million US dollars, seeing a further 45% rise, equal to 152 million US dollars, in the first 3 months of this year. It is certainly an impressive figure and the Chinese market is the world leader in terms of opportunity,” said Amedeo Scarpa, Director of the ICE Italian Trade Agency office in Beijing and coordinator of the ICE office network in the People's Republic of China. “It testifies to a strong, growing interest in the Italian lifestyle. This is why the MISE Italian Ministry for Economic Development has increased the public budget for ICE Made in Italy promotional activities in China fivefold. The results are clear to see: a 22% rise in total exports from Italy to China in 2017”.
In Shanghai, too, the Salone del Mobile.Milano includes a number of opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and views, with a number of didactic interventions featuring leading international designers. This year, the Master Classes, the Salone del Mobile.Milano's now traditional opportunities for reflection and discussion, will be held by three internationally renowned Italian architects – Michele De Lucchi, Stefano Boeri and Roberto Palomba – in dialogue with equally talented Chinese designers Yung Ho Chang, Liu Yichun and Furong Chen. They are an unmissable opportunity to explore differing but synergic thoughts on the development of the design industry in China and in the world.
SaloneSatellite Shanghai, which provides another opportunity for dialogue, will be back, brimming with expectation and projects from talented designers under 35, as young Chinese designers, university and design school students showcase their projects. The top three, chosen by a jury of sectoral professionals, will receive SaloneSatellite Shanghai Awards and an invitation to take part in the 2019 edition of SaloneSatellite in Milan.
Suning Group is the main strategic partner of the Show. As not only the leading smart retailer of omni-channel and full-category operations but also a smart home solutions provider, Suning will provide diversified support and insight to furniture designers and manufacturers to jointly explore Chinese market and create intelligent, personalized solutions for local consumers home life needs.
“The advancing consumer market of China has huge potential for global design and manufacturing brands. Suning as a smart retailer, aspires to lead local consumers, especially younger generations, in pursuit of tasteful and personalized lifestyle gathered from the world. As Salone del Mobile's main strategic partner, we view this as a great opportunity to bring in Italian design of exclusive home furnishings, while connecting some of the most creative minds domestic and aboard. We hope to give an example of cross-culture communications and inspire more innovative business talks between China and Italy in the digitized era” said Steven Zhang, President of Suning International.
Intesa Sanpaolo Group was confirmed also in Shanghai as institutional partner of the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2018. Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai will also continue the partnership with three leading Italian food sector companies, Ca' del Bosco, illycaffè and S.Pellegrino.