At the Salone del Mobile, the spotlight often shines on designers, planners, their creative energy, and the products that, thanks to their research and experimentation, are launched on the market year after year. Sometimes, we overlook the equally indispensable and decisive role that companies have played and continue to play in the history of the Salone and its current configuration. If the Salone del Mobile has evolved into something far beyond a simple trade fair, it’s thanks to the intuition of a group of forward-thinking and, in some cases, visionary entrepreneurs. Infected by the euphoria of modernity sweeping the country during the economic boom and aware of the need to innovate on all fronts, they transformed the Salone into an extraordinary communicative medium, anticipating the practice of using events as a promotional tool, which would become central and strategic in other product sectors many years later.
Do you know which are the companies that made the history of the Salone?
The success of Milano Design Week is also due to a handful of visionary and far-sighted brands and entrepreneurs who have turned a furniture fair into a world-class event. Here is who they are.
Gaetano Pesce, Serie Up, 1969. Courtesy B&B Italia
Gaetano Pesce, Serie Up, 1969. Courtesy B&B Italia
Gio Ponti, Superleggera, 1957. Courtesy Cassina
Gio Ponti, Superleggera, 1957. Courtesy Cassina
Fernando and Humberto Campana, Vermelha, 1993. Courtesy Edra
Fernando and Humberto Campana, Vermelha, 1993. Courtesy Edra
Among the furnishings at the Salone del Mobile, the one designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1984, which played on the contrast between materials and colors, is certainly worth remembering: on a floor covered with a coconut carpet, a poppy-red steel structure stood out.
Joe Colombo, Tube Chair, 1969. Courtesy Flexform
Philippe Starck, La Marie, 1999. Courtesy Kartell
Philippe Starck, La Marie, 1999. Courtesy Kartell
Rodolfo Dordoni, Twiggy, 2022. Courtesy Minotti
Rodolfo Dordoni, Twiggy, 2022. Courtesy Minotti
Aldo Rossi, La Cabina dell’Elba, 1980. Domus 646, January 1984
Aldo Rossi, La Cabina dell’Elba, 1980. Domus 646, January 1984
Ron Arad, Soft Big Easy, 1991. Courtesy Moroso
Ron Arad, Soft Big Easy, 1991. Courtesy Moroso
Jean Marie Massaud, Le Club, 2021. Courtesy Poliform
Jean Marie Massaud, Le Club, 2021. Courtesy Poliform
Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini and Franco Teodoro, Sacco, 1968. Courtesy Zanotta
Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini and Franco Teodoro, Sacco, 1968. Courtesy Zanotta
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- Silvana Annicchiarico
- 11 April 2024
The history of the Salone del Mobile also mirrors, in its own way, the virtuous history of a significant part of the Italian entrepreneurial spirit.
Among the first companies to participate were Poggi, Cassina, and Molteni. But also – among many others – Arflex, Bernini, Tecno, and Kartell. Together, under the firm and participative leadership of Tito Armellini, the furniture companies decided to bet on the future and face the world. They chose to focus on communication not as an optional extra, but as the backbone of their design and business activities.
From its inception (and particularly since 1965, when a dedicated area for design was first established within the exhibition), the Salone has served as the stage for Made in Italy in the furniture and interior design sector. It’s not just a showcase but the birthplace of a history destined to grow and expand over the years, finding in Milan the driving force necessary to promote and disseminate the excellence of Italian design.
These are the companies that have transformed the Salone (and later, since 1990, the Fuori Salone) into a platform for introducing new ways of living, foreseeing latent needs and trends, capturing emerging tastes, and consistently offering appropriate solutions to evolving consumer demands. The history of the Salone del Mobile also mirrors, in its own way, the virtuous history of a significant part of the Italian entrepreneurial spirit: the part that dared to take risks, invested in research and experimentation, engaged the best creative talents from the international market, and set its sights globally. As well as the innovative entrepreneurial spirit that unhesitatingly presented the products emerging from its factories and workshops to a network of relationships that increasingly encompassed not only market dynamics and export trends but also the interplay between the material and the symbolic, the functional and the expressive, the useful and the beautiful.
The Salone has served as the stage for Made in Italy in the furniture and interior design sector. It’s not just a showcase but the birthplace of a history destined to grow and expand over the years.
In essence, the companies that believed in the Salone produced culture. With boldness and originality, with restlessness and dynamism, they demonstrated their ability to interpret and, in some cases, even challenge the cultural values of contemporary society. They have enhanced the livability and comfort of our homes, while also bringing quality and value to our lives. Today, the Salone/Fuorisalone/Salone Satellite kermesse stands as a unique and unrepeatable event in the world, characterized by its dizzying blend of business, art, culture, exhibitions, shows, installations, happenings, performances, and strolls. It possesses an aura of its own, thanks to the remarkable entrepreneurial innovations that, driven by courage and vision, often exceed the expectations of those who conceived, desired, and realized those initiatives and innovations. This is exactly what happened at the Salone. And that is precisely why we must cherish it and continue to nurture it with the anticipatory, visionary spirit that gave birth to it over sixty years ago.
Opening image: Rodolfo Dordoni, Twiggy, 2022. Courtesy Minotti
Pierino Busnelli, alongside Cesare Cassina, founded C&B Italia in 1966, later renamed B&B Italia in 1973. Right from the start, the company’s participation in the 1966 Salone del Mobile showed a strong tendency towards innovation, presenting some of the most notable successes of the 1960s: the Amanta living rooms by Mario Bellini and Coronado by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, and above all the Up armchair by Gaetano Pesce, presented at the 1969 Salone in a striking scenic arrangement designed by Pesce himself.
In 1972, the company was the protagonist of an innovative communication campaign that sparked controversy and debate with the image of model Donna Jordan posing with bare breasts on Mario Bellini’s Le Bambole chairs. After leaving Cassina, Busnelli continued with B&B Italia, expanding production with Maxalto (with Antonio Citterio as creative director since 1993) and other divisions. Over time, B&B Italia has diversified its offerings and expanded into new areas such as outdoor design. In 2018, it became part of Design Holding, reaffirming its position as a leader in high-end design. The appointment of Piero Lissoni as artistic director in 2021 marks a further step towards innovation, excellence, and quality research.
Founded in 1927 by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina, Cassina is the epitome of excellence in cabinetmaking in the Brianza (Italy) furniture district. Originally founded as a workshop for the production of elegant furniture, Cassina made its mark in the 1930s with innovative designs, even supplying furniture for ocean liners and public spaces in the post-war period. A pioneer of Italian industrial design in the 1950s, Cassina embraced a new vision that moved from handcraftsmanship to mass production, seamlessly blending technology with traditional craftsmanship. Cesare Cassina championed the dialog between culture and design, resulting in iconic pieces such as Gio Ponti’s Superleggera and reissues of works by “The Maestros” such as Le Corbusier. Collaboration with renowned designers flourished in the 1960s with the founding of Flos and C&B.
Despite Cesare’s death in 1979, the company continued on its experimental path. Today, as part of Haworth Lifestyle Design, Cassina remains a beacon of quality in Italian design, with Patricia Urquiola as art director since 2016. Some of her installations at the Salone remain unforgettable, such as the one in ’69 with a breathtaking scenic effect: large spheres suspended on multi-level platforms juxtaposed with the austerity of Le Corbusier’s armchairs, while the interplay between the setting and magnetic field-controlled lights created an immersive and dynamic visual experience.
Founded in Perignano (Pisa, Italy) in 1987 by Monica and Valerio Mazzei, the Tuscan company revived a family tradition by introducing upholstered furniture with a highly innovative image, created through meticulous research into new materials. Its event communication strategies were nothing short of spectacular and contributed significantly to the rapid national and international success of the new brand. Edra distinguished itself by its ability to experiment with cutting-edge technologies while employing artisanal processes that resulted in many unique pieces. Known for its meticulous attention to detail, Edra produces furniture that embodies both classic elegance and captivating modernity.
Collaborations with the Campana brothers and other internationally acclaimed designers further solidified the company’s reputation as a distinctive presence in the Italian design landscape. Notable collaborators include Francesco Binfaré, known for the Standard and Pack sofas, and Jacopo Foggini, creator of the A’mare collection. Edra also revolutionized its furniture catalogs by incorporating outdoor photography and natural light, turning its sofas and furniture into protagonists of a story. One of the most interesting installations at the Salone was the one in 2010, curated by then Art Director Massimo Morozzi, who, under the theme of Barbarians, built a tribal village with some of the company’s new products.
Sergio Asti, Cini Boeri, Joe Colombo, Paolo Nava, Rodolfo Bonetto, Carlo Colombo, Gigi Radice: these are just some of the designers who, over the years, have contributed to transforming the artisan furniture workshop founded in 1959 by the Galimberti brothers in the heart of the Brianza furniture-making region into one of the most representative brands of Italian design, sought after to furnish prestigious interiors such as the foyer of the Teatro alla Scala. The brand, designed in 1969 by Pino Tovaglia (the same graphic designer who created the Pirelli brand), and the presentation at the 1970 Salone of an innovative product such as Joe Colombo’s Tube chair, made up of a series of four upholstered tubes with a concentric section that can be threaded together for easy and quick packing, are concrete proof of Flexform’s ability to engage with contemporary trends, firmly establishing itself at the forefront of research and innovation.
Among the furnishings at the Salone del Mobile, the one designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1984, which played on the contrast between materials and colors, is certainly worth remembering: on a floor covered with a coconut carpet, a poppy-red steel structure stood out.
Founded in Milan in 1949 by the visionary Giulio Castelli, Kartell has always been at the forefront of the use of plastics. Originally focused on producing car accessories, the company shifted its focus to household objects and lighting fixtures, revolutionizing the concept of everyday design. Its debut at the Salone del Mobile in 1965 featured the groundbreaking 4999 chair by Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper, the first seat made entirely of plastic, a testament to the company’s ongoing experimentation with new materials. The motto “Plastics and Design” encapsulates Kartell’s philosophy, emphasizing the fusion of material research and new technologies with aesthetics and principles of sustainability.
Through collaborations with renowned designers such as Marco Zanuso and Joe Colombo, Kartell has become an icon of contemporary design. Today, under the leadership of Claudio Luti, the company not only produces, but also promotes design culture through exhibitions, publications, and various initiatives. One of the most captivating installations at the 1969 Salone del Mobile was designed by Valerio Castelli and Carlo Chambry, with walls made of elastic bands that visitors could walk across, creating a suggestive interplay of rhythms and volumes.
Founded in Meda, Italy, in the euphoric climate of the immediate post-war period, the company acquired an industrial dimension in the 1960s, leading to its international expansion in the 1990s under the second generation. Sobriety, elegance and a refined balance between tradition and innovation have characterized the identity of this company, which interprets contemporary lifestyle in an original way and is now one of the undisputed leaders in contemporary Italian furniture design. Since its inception, the company has been a fixture at the Salone and has established a widespread presence in 80 countries through 56 flagship stores and a network of over 300 qualified distributors worldwide.
Architect and designer Rodolfo Dordoni served as art director from 1997 until his death in 2023, contributing to the design of some of Minotti’s most famous products, such as the Twiggy armchair and the Dylan sofa. The booth at the 2018 show was particularly memorable: to celebrate the company’s 70th anniversary, Minotti recreated the family home in Meda, with a suspended fireplace at the center of the room, faithfully reproduced on an oversized scale of the one designed by architect Gigi Radice for the founder’s residence in 1960.
In 1934, Angelo Molteni – a member of the founding committee of the Salone del Mobile - opened an artisan workshop in Giussano, Italy, in the heart of the Brianza furniture district. It quickly became one of the most innovative companies in the high-end furniture sector, championing the ethos of quality living. Ahead of its time, in 1968, Molteni shifted its production from classic to modern, prioritizing innovation, experimentation and exquisite details with originality. In the following decade, the company entered the contract sector, becoming a leader in large turnkey projects.
Among its esteemed designers were Gio Ponti, Ignazio Gardella, Luca Meda, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, and Aldo Rossi (whose Elba cabin debuted at the 1980 Salone). One of Molteni’s most recent installations at the 2019 Salone was created by Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen, who drew inspiration from the residences of mid-century architects. Molteni is one of the brands that has consistently participated in the Salone since its inception.
In 1952, Agostino and Diana Moroso founded an upholstered furniture company in Cavallico di Tavagnacco, Udine, Italy. The company immediately distinguished itself through research and innovation. However, since the 1980s, when Patrizia Moroso redirected production toward international auteur design, Moroso has also been known for its deep sensitivity and receptivity to global cultures, its commitment to experimentation in all directions, and its unabashed passion for art. Collaborations with emerging designers such as Lovegrove, Arad, Mariscal and Urquiola have resulted in an eclectic catalog with broad appeal..
Ron Arad introduced transformative approaches to materials, while other designers such as Grcic, Yoshioka, Dixon, Lovegrove, Wanders, and Urquiola have contributed to the company’s ongoing evolution toward a new semantics of living that fuses technology and craftsmanship. An emblematic example of the company’s philosophy is the stand designed by Patricia Urquiola for the 2019 Salone: characterized by its formal simplicity, it uses color as a two-dimensional element to generate geometric projections, lights and sensations that evoke a three-dimensional perception. In addition, the choice of display materials is deliberate, selected for their pictorial qualities, with the aim of evoking the artistry of Cuban artist Carmen Herrera.
Founded in 1970 in Inverigo, in the prestigious Brianza furniture district of Italy, Poliform is the evolution of a family artisan business established in 1942. Over the years, Poliform has successfully combined management expertise with visionary design, combining the ethos of craftsmanship with a new business model based on innovation and creativity. Guided by the enlightened leadership of cousins Alberto and Aldo Spinelli and Giovanni Anzani, who have alternated in the position of Ceo to strengthen the company’s management, Poliform has engaged some of the most important names in world design, from Jean Marie Massaud and Marcel Wanders to Rodolfo Dordoni and Daniel Libeskind, with the ambition to combine technical excellence, timeless elegance and contemporary beauty.
Among Poliform’s notable participations in the Salone, one of the most memorable was the 27th edition in 1987. Poliform, together with Giorgetti, Matrix, Minotti and others, decided to occupy pavilion 20C with a joint installation reminiscent of an amphitheater. The exhibition, arranged in a semicircle around a central staircase, was designed by Achille Castiglioni and Paolo Ferrari, with graphic elements by Italo Lupi.
Founded in 1954 by Aurelio Zanotta, the company has become an icon of Italian design, drawing inspiration from art, culture and creativity. Guided by its founder’s vision, Zanotta has curated an eclectic collection of furniture, including pieces by renowned design masters. Zanotta is known for its fusion of technological innovation and traditional craftsmanship, resulting in iconic creations such as the Sacco armchair (introduced at the 1969 Salone) and the Mezzadro stool.
Collaborations with unconventional artists and designers such as Ettore Sottsass, Joe Colombo, Alessandro Mendini, Andrea Branzi and Carlo Mollino have resulted in a series of unique objects that defy convention and redefine the domestic experience. With over 550 products in its portfolio and a presence in museums worldwide, Zanotta remains a cornerstone of the contemporary design landscape. Acquired by Cassina in 2023, the company now operates under the Haworth Lifestyle Design Group. One of the most outstanding installations at the 1973 Salone was created by Lomazzi, D’Urbino and De Pas, with walls decorated with high reliefs inspired by the drawings of Jean Jacques Rousseau, crafted from the pages of the Gazzetta dello Sport.