“The success of the Milan Furniture Fair continues to increase”: this is how the first article that Domus dedicates to what would become the most important world event dedicated to design begins over the years. The text, which we report in its entirety, identifies the reasons for the success of the event already during the first decade of life, and the anticipation of themes, such as those related to the sustainability of production methods, today protagonists of the debate and of the fair itself.

The success of the Salone del Mobile of Milan is always on the rise, both in terms of the number of participants and the number of operators visiting. Evidently, the Salone del Mobile of Milan is the only one of the major international trade shows that carries out a policy of qualification. This is demonstrated by the now famous “pavilion 30”, which gathers all the most committed Italian productions and increases in space and attendance every year. And it is demonstrated by the increased level of quality of some particular sectors – such as that of kitchens (which we will illustrate in the next issue), in which a general improvement has been seen, remarkable even in comparison with last year.

The impression one gets from this Salone is one of general fervor: a fervor that manifests itself not only in “brilliant” finds but also in a challenging search for new production and construction procedures. One wonders, however, whether it is necessary for productions to present so many new models each year, overlaying the previous year’s models in a carousel that is becoming frenetic. 

Perhaps a pause is needed, allowing industries to fine-tune their various programs in a more coordinated, and global perspective. Think, for example, of the separation, or non-collaboration, that still exists between building production and furniture production: those who make houses do not care what they are to contain, and those who make the contents almost always ignore the container; so that the house is still often a warehouse where mismatched objects are “collected”.

That year, among others, were presented: the Jumbo seat designed by Alberto Rosselli, the already famous Sacco by Gatti, Teodoro and Paolini produced by Zanotta, the Up series by Gaetano Pesce produced by C&B, Sedilsassi by Piero Gilardi produced by Gufram, the Pila folding chair by Anonima Castelli designed by Giancarlo Piretti, the iconic Pallottuoli egg chair by Eero Arnio.