Hello and Happy Summer!
I recently returned from Inform’s first trip to Europe since the beginning of the pandemic and boy, was it exciting!
The Salone del Mobile, usually held in April, was pushed back two and a half years and re-emerged in full force this past June. I admit I was unsure what to expect after all this time; I was nervous it wouldn’t live up to two years of expectations. It turned out to be worth the wait.
Now that I have been home for a few weeks and have had time to reflect on what we saw, my biggest takeaway was how fundamental the human element is in design. Design is all about people; it is for people — this is, literally, why it exists. People make it for other people to sit on, look at, use, hold, and enjoy. (Perhaps I am way off. I’m not up to speed on my Philosophy of Beauty these days, but it feels right to me!) People.
And so, after two years of looking at everything through a digital lens, it was a joy to be able to see, touch, and try products IRL. And to mingle with colleagues, friends, and partners whom we had not seen in such a long time. Our favourite experiences had the most relatable stories and most approachable products. Here is Part One of our Milan highlights: