Setting the Stage for Salone del Mobile 2026
The SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection has made its international debut at Expo 2025 Osaka. The exhibition runs from September 7 to 20 inside the Italy Pavilion. It highlights the dialogue between international creativity and Italian manufacturing. On display are 47 products first presented at SaloneSatellite between 1998 and 2025. This milestone also sets the stage for the Salone del Mobile 2026, scheduled for April 21–26 at Rho Fiera Milano.
An International Opening Ceremony
The exhibition opened during Italian National Week on September 7. The ribbon was cut by Marva Griffin, Founder and Curator of SaloneSatellite, alongside Mario Vattani, Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, and Matteo Zoppas, President of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE).
The selection of 47 objects offers a vivid narrative. Each piece was once a prototype at SaloneSatellite in Milan and later chosen by Italian companies for production. These works demonstrate how emerging designers and established manufacturers continue to shape contemporary living through collaboration and vision.
A Platform for Dialogue
The debut included a Design Talk moderated by Rossella Menegazzo, Head of Culture, Science and Education at the Italian Commissioner’s Office for Expo 2025 Osaka. The session featured remarks from Mario Vattani and Matteo Zoppas before Griffin joined the discussion.
Designers representing different editions of SaloneSatellite took part, including TONERICO:INC. (Hiroshi Yoneya, Ken Kimizuka, Yumi Masuko, Kimizuka Nanako), HONOKA.lab (Ryo Suzuki, Shoichi Yokoyama, Moritaka Tochigi), mist-o (Tommaso Nani), SUPER RAT (Kazuki Nagasawa), and Hanako Kita. Their contributions highlighted how Italian production methods can intersect with Japanese creativity to produce innovative design solutions.
Italy and Japan in Conversation
The exhibition underscores the historic design dialogue between Italy and Japan. From Carlo Scarpa’s interpretations of Japanese aesthetics to contemporary talents like Oki Sato of Nendo, the exchange has influenced both cultures.
Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, emphasized the strategic significance of presenting the collection in Osaka. She described the project as “the start of a new chapter in the international roadshow that takes the Salone del Mobile beyond national and European borders each year.”
The Legacy of SaloneSatellite
Launched in 1998, SaloneSatellite was created to give young designers a platform within the Salone del Mobile.Milano. Over the years, it has become an incubator for international talent, allowing new voices to connect with Italian companies and establish global careers.
The Permanent Collection, curated by Marva Griffin, now includes more than 400 products. It documents the success stories of designers who first presented their work as prototypes and later saw them produced by leading brands. The collection is housed at the Artwood Academy in Brianza, a training and research hub for Italy’s wood-furniture industry.
Following its first international stop in Hong Kong in 2024, the Osaka exhibition marks another step in sharing these stories worldwide. By traveling to new audiences, the collection reaffirms the cultural role of design and its power to build bridges across borders.
A History of Innovation
The Salone del Mobile itself has an even longer history. Founded in 1961, the fair quickly grew into the most important design event in the world. Each year, it introduces a complete narrative of domestic living, from bedrooms and dining rooms to outdoor furniture, lighting, and multifunctional spaces.
The fair serves as a laboratory where prototypes and ideas become products. It also creates opportunities for dialogue on sustainability, material innovation, and lifestyle shifts. For more than six decades, the Salone has driven global conversations about how design can transform everyday life.
Save the Date: Salone del Mobile 2026
While the SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection continues to draw visitors in Osaka, attention is already turning to Milan. The Salone del Mobile 2026 will take place from April 21 to 26 at Rho Fiera Milano.
For six days, Milan will again become the center of the design world. Architects, brands, buyers, and enthusiasts will gather to explore new furnishings, sustainable technologies, and lifestyle innovations. The fair promises to reaffirm Milan’s role as the global capital of design.For details and updates, visit salonemilano.it.
