Salone del Mobile and Euroluce Open to Warm Reception
Maria Porro and Marva Griffin Set the Tone at the Opening of Salone del Mobile 2025
At this year’s Salone del Mobile.Milan, the fair opened not just with applause for design innovation, but with thoughtful reflection on humanity, purpose, and creativity. During the traditional welcome coffee for the press, Maria Porro, President of Salone del Mobile welcomed the global design community with sincerity and intention. The crowd was standing-room only.
Maria began by emphasizing the fair’s commitment to “quality, quality, quality”—not just in the final product, but across the entire chain: from designer to manufacturer to end user. She underscored the importance of creativity having a human responsibility. “Creativity means being able to connect industry, craftsmanship, and human necessity,” she said. “A good project can change the life of a city, a company, or even a person.”
Maria highlighted that this year’s fair features more than 2,000 exhibitors from around the world—38% of which are international—a sign of Salone’s enduring global reach. She emphasized that Salone must bring value in order to justify the journey. “You don’t take a plane and come here without purpose,” she said. That purpose, she explained, is to create connections that generate work, opportunity, and progress.
“A Thought for Humans”: A Campaign with Skin in the Game
When I asked about the fair’s new Thought for Humans campaign, Maria offered insight into its bold visual identity. “It’s the first time in Salone’s history that we’ve used photography rather than graphic art,” she said. The campaign, created by photographer Billal Taright, features raw, stripped-down portraits—some nude—that symbolize vulnerability, humanity, and our direct relationship with the objects that surround us.
“Our homes are like a second skin,” Maria explained. “The materials we use, the forms we choose—they all affect our lives. We wanted to communicate that without needing a single word of explanation.” The move to use portraiture instead of graphic illustration was seen internally as radical, but the intent was to foster emotional resonance over commercial polish.
A Salone Grounded in Craft and Heritage
Marva Griffin, Ambassador of the Salone del Mobile, spoke passionately about this year’s edition of Salone now in its 25th year. Her focus: craft, and the knowledge that is passed through generations. The 2025 theme, “Craft: A New World Through New Hands,” invited young designers to return to their hometowns and villages, seek out local artisans, and learn the techniques that are in danger of disappearing.
“The designers brought the theory they learned in school and worked with older generations who taught them how to use their hands,” Griffin said. She proudly shared that the initiative had attracted more submissions than ever before—so many, in fact, that some had to be turned away due to lack of space. “Craft matters. And this year, the young designers answered with great maturity and depth,” she said.
The Role of Light and the Return to Heritage
The fair also features an installation by Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino exploring the theme of “waiting.” It asks visitors to consider how design can improve even the most mundane experiences—like waiting at the doctor’s office—through better furniture and lighting and thoughtful spaces.
Sustainability and Substance
Sustainability also took center stage. Maria detailed Salone’s efforts to maintain ISO certification for sustainable event management. She described the challenges—eliminating carpeted corridors, encouraging exhibitors to reduce plastic, and auditing companies to verify claims. “It’s not easy,” she admitted. “But it’s necessary. And we are seeing results—not just in how companies manufacture, but also in how they exhibit.”
In closing, Maria reflected on Salone’s true purpose: “Design can play a role in making life better. It’s not just about objects—it’s about how we live, how we relate to each other, and how we express values like beauty, quality, and care.”
From cultural programming and sustainability to heritage and light, Salone del Mobile 2025 is more than a trade show. It’s a platform for deeper conversations. And it’s clear that the leadership team, including Maria and Marva, intend to keep design grounded in humanity.
Go Deeper: Salone del Mobile.Milano announces the first Euroluce International Forum
