Salone del Mobile Milano 2025: A major event for design and luxury

The 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile in Milan opened its doors on Tuesday for the next six days, bringing together more than 2,100 exhibitors from 37 countries. During this week dedicated to design, numerous visitors are taking the opportunity to attend the biennial Euroluce, dedicated to cutting-edge creations and designers in the world of lighting, with more than 300 exhibitors. This year, the first edition of the Lighting Forum makes its debut, with the aim of creating a cultural platform to complement the commercial offer.

“The main goal of the last few years has been to make the fair an unmissable event for international design culture, while confirming its status as a major commercial showcase,” explains Maria Porro, president of the fair. ”The fair should enable a dialogue between different disciplines and diverse cultures. It is committed to seeking out innovative companies, in Italy and abroad, with the aim of collaborating with international markets, particularly in emerging countries such as India and Saudi Arabia. India - in the same way as China ten years ago - represents a thriving area where designers are increasingly gaining ground on the international scene. In Saudi Arabia, the intention is to promote Italian excellence, in the context of the Vision 2030 plan launched by Mohammed Ben Salman."

Beyond furniture brands, several luxury houses are taking advantage of the show's aura to assert their presence in the lifestyle world. Among them is Louis Vuitton, which unveiled its first collection of signature furniture, precious objects, lighting, tableware, graphic textiles and playful games. LVMH's flagship brand has taken over several floors of the Palazzo Serbelloni to present its creations by some of the most fashionable designers, such as Patrick Jouin, Cristián Mohaded and the renowned studios Estúdio Campana, Laboratorio Paravicini and Atelier Biagetti. Hermès has once again chosen to take up residence at La Pelota to present its scenography designed by Charlotte Macaux Perelman, architect and artistic director of Hermès Maison collections, in collaboration with Alexis Fabry. The creations are staged within suspended structures, projecting halos of color on the floor.

Last year, the show recorded a record edition with 360,000 visitors. The proportion of foreign visitors represented more than 65% of the public. For Milan, the economic benefits are significant. During the exhibition period, the prices of overnight stays in luxury rooms more than double. Maria Porro also evokes the importance of the exhibition in a difficult context for the furniture market: Federlegno Arredo (the federation of companies in the sector) has been claiming for the past several months that the economic context is stagnant and very complex.

On the positive side, the figures for the exhibition are rather reassuring, as the event is fully booked, with 38% of exhibitors coming from abroad and 168 brands participating for the first time.