Preview: Salone del Mobile.Milano 2025

The Salone del Mobile.Milano will open its doors once again from 8 to 13 April 2025. In its 63rd edition, it will welcome more than 2000 exhibitors from 37 countries and offer a wide range of cultural installations and discussion forums.

Press conference: Claudio Feltrin, President Salone del Mobile.Milano 2025 © Andrea Mariani

The guiding theme of the 2025 trade fair, “Thought for Humans”, focuses on people and emphasizes the emotional intelligence of design. The campaign for this theme was developed in collaboration with Dentsu Creative Italy and picks up on the subtle relationship between people and materials. Photographer Bill Durgin brings this connection to life in his images, in which he shows the fusion of light, timber, metal and bioplastic with human skin. It is an artistic reflection on what design means for everyday life – a dialog between body and space that works in a sustainable and harmonious way.

The Euroluce International Lighting Forum will take place on the 10th and 11th of April. © Andrea Mariani

One of the highlights is the return of the Euroluce Biennale, which focuses on the future of lighting design. Over 32 000 m² and more than 300 international brands will explore the role of light in the design of public and private spaces. The first international Lighting Forum, entitled "Light for Life. Light for Spaces', will bring together leading design and lighting creatives. Robert Wilson, renowned for his mastery of light, will open the event and join international luminaries in discussing the impact of light on design and quality of life.

Robert Wilson's "Mother" with music by Arvo Pärt opens the 63rd edition at Castello Sforzesco. Luciano Romano

In addition to the traditional exhibition halls, this year's Salone del Mobile offers a cultural programme that goes far beyond the world of furniture. The opening project at the Musei Pietà Rondanini in the Castello Sforzesco is the artistic intervention "Mother" by Robert Wilson. In dialogue with Michelangelo's unfinished masterpiece, the Pietà Rondanini, and accompanied by the music of Arvo Pärt, the project becomes a symbiosis of art, music and design. Another project is "Villa Héritage" by Pierre-Yves Rochon (pavilions 13 to 15). In a fusion of tradition and modernity, his installation addresses the importance of time and experience in interior design.

Pierre-Yves Rochon. Villa Héritage Salone del Mobile.Milano 2025 © PYR

SaloneSatellite, a platform for young design talent, will once again be at the heart of the 2025 edition. 700 up-and-coming designers and 20 leading design schools from all over the world will be exhibiting in Pavilions 5 and 7 under the motto "Nuovo Artigianato: Un Mondo Nuovo" (New Craft: A New World).

The Drafting Futures programme in Hall 14 focuses on futuristic discussions and the exchange of visions for the coming decades. Protagonists such as Valeria Segovia, Bjarke Ingels, Lesley Lokko and Paolo Sorrentino will discuss what tomorrow's design could look like - and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The talks and roundtables will provide a valuable platform to collaborate on solutions to the industry's most pressing issues, such as sustainability and the digital transformation of design.

This is where designers, architects and industry thought leaders come together to discuss what tomorrow's design could look like. © Formafantasma

Milan itself plays a crucial role in the context of the Salone del Mobile. The city opens its doors not only to trade visitors but also to the general public, attracting visitors with an extensive cultural programme. As part of the "Salone in the City", more than 100 exhibition spaces and cultural institutions will take part in the event, including the "Teatro alla Scala", one of the city's most prestigious cultural institutions. 

The Fuorisalone programme and the many other Milan Design Week exhibitions, such as the Lambrate Design District, complement the Milan Furniture Fair with newcomers, surprising presentations and exciting encounters.

Ci vediamo a Milano!