The Salone del Mobile.Milano continues its international tour to stimulate dialogue with key markets for Made in Italy: after the United States, which in September saw the installation “Italian Design: from Classic to Contemporary,” curated by Ferruccio Laviani and set up in partnership with Bloomingdale's, it is now the turn of China, which will host two new major events of international appeal.

The first destination is Shanghai, where, from Nov. 8-10, Salone del Mobile is for the first time a Partner of the West Bund Art & Design, among the most prestigious Asian art fairs, while the second stop is Hong Kong, from Nov. 11-21, with “SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection 1998-2024 Exhibition.”

“The Orbit's Orbit” installation signed by artist Matilde Cassani

Two major events with international appeal

In Shanghai, the Salone del Mobile.Milano presents, in collaboration with West Bund Art & Design, the performance installation “The Orbit's Orbit” signed by artist Matilde Cassani. Set up in the spaces of The Orbit, the recent architecture designed by Heatherwick Studio, the installation will dialogue with more than 50 icons of Made in Italy, protagonists of a radial city animated by visitors' interactions, unprecedented performances and a cycle of conversations about design.

The Orbit, the striking architecture designed by Heatherwick Studio

In Hong Kong, the “SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection 1998-2024 Exhibition” will present a selection of more than one hundred projects from the SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection . Promoted by IDFFHK - International Design Furniture Hong Kong and Designworks Foundation in the spaces of the Arts Pavilion in the heart of the West Kowloon Cultural District, it is a tribute to emerging talents who are now globally recognized thanks to the under-35 hub of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, founded and curated by Marva Griffin Wilshire.

The Arts Pavilion West Kowloon Cultural District Hong Kong

China, a strategic choice

For the furniture sector, the choice of China is certainly strategic: despite the difficulties of the real estate market, in 2023, Italy in fact is confirmed as the main exporter of furniture to China, with a value of 479.01 million euros. An interest confirmed during the 2024 edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, which saw China regain, after the post-pandemic transition, the first place in terms of number of visitors.

“With this second international stage in China, the Salone del Mobile.Milano aims to preside over and stimulate a market that seems to be suffering even though in its high end it is very lively and of great interest for Made in Italy” comments Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile Milano.

For the Salone del Mobile, the special projects in New York, Shanghai and Hong Kong are the result of a process of devising new formats, performative and exhibition, designed for foreign markets, with the aim of strengthening internationalization processes, stimulating international dialogue on the themes of living, and experimenting with multidisciplinary languages and practices in the field of design culture.