iSaloni: 4 History Facts That You Probably Didn't Know

How it all begin? We collect 4 things that just a few people know about iSaloni origin.

This year, the iSaloni 57th edition will happen from 17th to 22nd April and will be all about Classic: Tradition in the Future, Design, and xLux. Do you think you already know everything about it?

iSaloni it’s just around the corner and everyone is talking about the world biggest event, the International Furniture Fair from 17 to 22 April –Salone Internazionale del Mobile! Everyone talks about the interior design brands that are going to display their pieces, interior designers, latest design innovations, the best workshops and galleries around the city but are things that nobody says to you. How it all begin?
1.Recession
All begin because of a recession. Italian furniture makers were into extremely difficult times. Furniture industry was on a small scale spread by family business and expansion was a demand for the sector. However, it was a sector that was made by highly skilled Italian artisans with traditions and know-how deloped for years so the pieces were really high-quality handmade. Besides that, classic-looking Italian furniture was saturated, in other words, everyone was doing the same style. Consumers were looking for different design styles more minimalists, simples, functionals, so the Italian makers weren’t answering to the consumers’ needs. To change that, Italian markers should turn to modern design trends and work with talented designers and architects. Tito Armellini, the publisher of Il Mobile Italiano magazine and Angelo De Baggis, the Vice-President of the Italian Federation of Furniture and Woodworking Producers have to the idea to organize a large exhibition in Milan similar like the ones already did in Cologne and Paris. That’s how the first edition of Salone del Mobile come out, on 24th of September 1961″!
2. Cosmit Spa aka Cosmit
Cosmit Spa, nowadays known as Cosmit, means “Comitato Organizzatore del Salone del Mobile Italiano”, in English – Organizing Committee of the Italian Furniture Fair, is responsible for the organization of the iSaloni since 1961. Besides iSlaoni, Cosmit also directed different types of salons, differentiated by types of items exposed like Salone Internazionale del Complemento d’Arredo, SaloneSatellite, Eurocucina, Salone Internazionale del Bagno, Euroluce, and SaloneUfficio.
3. “Retrospective Exhibition on Furniture Design in Italy from 1945 to the Present”
“Retrospective Exhibition on Furniture Design in Italy from 1945 to the Present” was the name of the first event that took place from the iSaloni. It only happened in 1965, 4 years after the first Salone del Mobile and turn out to be a success. The event reunited some of the best interior designers at the time and won a visibility that no one was expecting. Nowadays iSaloni invest in collateral events to promote knowledge and networking between all the designers, interior design brands, and enthusiasts.
4. Design division
In 1965, Cosmit Spa created a division between “designers” and “furniture makers”. The idea was to separate contemporary design from the other styles. So, a new floor appeared in Pavilion 30/3. The idea was a risk, nobody has ever done this before it could be a disaster. Everyone was anxious to know how it would turn. There were only 30 exhibitors in the design section but they “made noise”. The journalists and press were very impressed and in the next day, reviews about the design section were spread all around. Since that, the exhibit area is divided into sectors – design, classic, and xLux – corresponding to different product styles.
Certainly, this was the last thing that was missing in your baggage to Millan! Now that is already checked, have a good trip and we hope that you have the greatest time along with the best designers and interior design brands!