Are Homewares The New Black? Recapping Salone del Mobile
It’s become an ongoing joke with friends that the clock is ticking on my career as a fashion writer. On the lip of a mass exodus of corporate creative jobs steamrolled by firings at both Condé Nast and i-D, the future appears bleak for us digitally inclined sartorial wordsmiths. So what are the options? This ongoing joke always ends up with the cliché answer of transitioning into the homewares space. Is it time to take a page from the likes of Todd Oldham and Henry Holland and swap clothes for chintz and ceramics?
Well, looking at Salone de Mobile, it’s clear that I’m not the only one ready to jump ship. Also known as Milan Furniture Fair, the annual trade show sees the biggest names of furniture design flock to Milan to showcase their latest innovations. Since it first started in 1961, design legends from Philippe Starck to Zaha Hadid have all showcased at the esteemed event. This year the list grows with some of fashion’s biggest names, including Thom Browne and Jonathan Anderson. So, while I continue to spiral into career existentialism, I’ve rounded up my favourite fashion/furniture crossovers at this year’s fair.
Loewe
Is there anything that Jonathan Anderson can’t do? As arguably one of today’s most important designers (this week the Loewe creative director landed on Time’s 100 list), Anderson is no stranger to the design fair. The Spanish brand made its precedes across all aspects of design known in 2016 when Anderson launched the Loewe Foundation as a way to support makers from around the world.
Having already propelled Loewe’s lineup of homewares to cult status with candles inspired by natural scents from beetroots to marijuana, Anderson’s latest foray takes spatial illumination to its full potential. For their eighth showcase at Salone del Mobile, Loewe commissioned 24 artists and collaborators to produce a lamp. Among them was Genta Ishizuka who won the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2019. For the project, his penchants for organic shapes took the form of curved lines of glossy lacquered lamps.
J.W. Anderson
Doubling dipping at the design fair, Jonathan Anderson also presented an installation with the artist Patrick Carroll. The artist previously worked with the brand for the S/S 23 menswear show, creating knitted outfits that were presented outside of the venue in Milan. This time around Caroll created 7 textile works showcased at the brand’s flagship store.
Dubbed ‘Days’, the series was created using recycled yarn that was scavenged from yarn remainder shops liquidating leftover materials. Once stretched out like a painted canvas, the hand-knitted works reveal phrases like ‘daily life’, ‘defeat’, and ‘fear of death’.
Thom Browne
While Anderson is a veteran of the trade fair, this year marked the Salone debut of American designer Thom Browne. For the occasion, the short shorts connoisseur collaborated with French bedding brand Frette. In true Thom Browne fashion, the installation ‘Time to Sleep’ featured uniformed models in signature grey suits marching to their masterfully made Jacques Adnet beds. A short film of the same name showcases the artful presentation and highlights the ritual of dress.
Lanvin
Keeping the interior design spirit of founder Jeanne Lanvin alive, the maison presented a homage to the designer’s legacy with the design studio Rooms Studio. The collaboration saw founders Nata Janberidze and Keti Toloraia push conventional design methods to create pieces that blur the lines between furniture and sculpture. The collaborative showcase at Lanvin’s Milan flagship seamlessly aligns with the brand’s renewed dedication to innovation and excellence.
Giorgio Armani
Last but not least was Giorgio Armani’s installation which saw the brand reopen the doors of Palazzo Orsini, their historic headquarters. It’s where the latest Armani/Casa collection, ‘Echi dal mondo’ (Echoes from the World) was presented. A dialogue between fashion and design, the layout of the Palazzo was organised by geographical locations that have served as creative touch points for the designer, including Europe, Japan, China, Arabia, and Morrocco.
The globetrotting collection features a plethora of textiles and techniques that correspond with their geographical inspiration. ‘I imagined a cinematic journey to the countries that have always inspired me: places and cultures that spark highly personal reworkings. This is why I wanted the furniture to converse with fashion, and why I wanted to exhibit everything in the Via Borgonuovo location. I like to present myself to the public in the most authentic and direct way possible', says Giorgio Armani