AMO ITALY Travel Guide

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Milano Salone 2008 (Reportage of Milano Salone)

Milano Salone
Passage to the Milan Salone

Milano Salone
At the entrance of the Milan Salone

Milano Salone
Many business men in suits and beautiful booth bunnies

Milano Salone
Milan Salone bookshop

Milan Salone is famous as well as Milan collection. It's a large international event held once a year. Salone means exhibition in Italian. And talking about the Salone in Milan, that is a synonym of the international exhibition of furniture and interiors. Indeed, since it had been held in 1961 for the first time, hundreds of thousands of producers have participated from all over the world. There are lots of local Italian companies but also those from around the world such as Northern Europe, Asia and America. In this occasion they present their new interior designs for market. The Salone is held in April every year, and in 2008 it was from 16 to 21 with 348.000 visitors from the world.

It's located at the last station RHO FIERA of the Metro Red line (linea M1). Please check the subway route map, which is available at the official Milan Metro site: www.msrmilano.com

On that day, even on the subway there was already a different atmosphere. There were many foreigners with a brochure of Salone and looking for the exhibition place. After all "Salone" is really an international event. In this period most of hotels are full and it's almost impossible to find a vacancy. Normally Milan's subway is not crowded but during the exhibition RHO station was totally full. Plus various secondary live, exhibition and events are held in the entire city of Milan. It's like a somewhat festival. The main furniture exhibition held in RHO is called Salone del Mobile and other city events are called Fuori Mobile.

At the RHO stop of the metro, there is a long horizontal escalator like in the airport to the Salone hall. Actually due to the expansion of the scale, Milan Salone's location was moved to here RHO some years ago. In this new hall some car exhibitions or various commercial events are held, too. It's designed by an Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas and famous as a beautiful contemporary architecture as well. Currently in the vicinity a lot of hotels are newly built for the coming Milan Expo in 2015.

Arriving at the Salone Hall, I headed to the ticket office at the reception 1 - 3. It was necessary to fill out your name, address and occupation when you buy a ticket, but reception staffs indicated me kindly. The entrance fee of 2008 was 20 euros for 1 day, 40 euros for 3 days, 52 euros for 6 days. Please check the actual prices each year. In the hall there are also restaurants and book shops, information centers.
Since this hall is really big, it's almost impossible to see all booths just in a day. There are totally 24 buildings with different themes like classic furniture, modern design interior, kitchen, bath room, office room etc.

Each company had a original eye-catch display. It's said that in this Salone they get 70-80 percent of clients of their annual sales.
Here is like a battle field of investments of enormous capitals and cutting-edge designs for international furniture manufacturers. Indeed some makers booths had special tables and seats for VIP clients to deal while drinking champagne.
At the booth of classic furniture, there were several traditional European furniture. It was like an European aristocratic house with a relaxing and elegant atmosphere of monotone color. There were exhibited some paintings.
The Booth of modern-design furniture was the largest in this Salone. A new living space was suggested by many design furniture, lightings and BGM. It was amazing ingenuity. Floating water beds, futuristic beds and fantastic dream like beds, they are exactly contemporary art pieces.

Italians have a tendency to spend a long time in a kitchen so the Kitchen booth was very rich.
At the Bath room zone, there were beautiful booth bunnies with bikini showing how to use the shower etc.
The simple Office booth showed a concept of functional and sophisticated office environment.

However, at the Milano Salone exhibition you can not purchase the furniture directly.
If you find something you like, please ask their shop's location.

Information about Milan Salone
Time: 9:30-18:30
HP: http://www.cosmit.it/tool/home.php?l=en