Third and last part of my report from Milan. This time we will look at details and newer stuff. Will we get new chairs in the future?
I have already stated that 2021 is a year when we don’t see news. Changes is mainly in colours and not in materials or look. I will try to no be upset but the large scale of things feels so non-contemporary. Excess of materials is surely dated.
Also everyone (!) is doing fluffy 70s seating. Everyone.
The design week of Milan showed that not much has happened. You still get the same kind of chairs.
You even get new velvet chairs. Like we haven’t seen that for ten years now…
Change is absolutely in the details. No large impressions.
I would say we see a slight emphasis on wood. And specifically on lighter wood. A bit of a Scandinavian look.
I found very few examples of design addressing our new life post-pandemic. This chair has an interesting idea, but miss a bit in execution. So in a world where everyone is afraid of germs and viruses, perhaps make a chair where you can change the seat. Smart. A fresh seat for every user. Howevery a bit heavy and clumpsy. It should be a lighter material. And is it really effective with viruses? Isn’t it easier to just wipe it off??
I had previously read that we will be looking for objects closer to the original material. More raw. The more raw, also the more sustainable… I found some examples, but not an enormous amount. Here student work with hemp.
German Llot Llovwhere they make patterns on wood by letting salt just effect the dying.
Cork plate at Gervasoni.
A raw recycled paper bench.
Raw wool with paint at Kvadrat.
Raw pottery.
Raw and sustainable student work at the fair.
My favourite product from the whole fair, a table where student Simon Gehring lets a machine scan branches from wood logging. The branches with strong enough stability gets used in table legs etc.
Another detail is of course the use of white metal.
Notice the white metal textile.
Unusual and fun is this inflatable plastics. Here at Alcova.
Speaking of see-through – glass tables are here. And also mixing with stone.
And sofa tables are happening… It is a mix and match situation. Preferably layered so that you have a high table and a low table.
Finally. So very little is happening. So when you finally see a quirky detail, you go bananas a bit. Here at Dimore Studio where they (of course a trend) use vintage pieces but add a bit a colour at an unusual place.
Milan 2021 is not about new innovation or new behaviour. I am not saying design is dead. Not at all. I think we have been holding back and are afraid of investments in new and strange things. 2021 is all about being safe and doing things we have done before. But next year!!! I really think this holding back on newness and creativity will explode in new expressions next year. Definately.