We spoke to 3 leading Victoria design studios about their experience exhibiting at Milan Design Week
Milan Design Week is considered the benchmark event for the global furnishing and design sector. Each year, the city of Milan welcomes designers, architects, agents, buyers, media and the public to its trade fair, exhibitions, extended pop-up venues, workshops and installations throughout the city.
This year Milan Design Week was held from 15 to 21 April and featured 1,950 exhibitors from 35 different countries plus an extensive cultural programme. It saw a record turnout of over 370,000 attendees, cementing Milan Design Week’s pivotal role in the internationalisation and commercialisation of the design industry, and reinforcing the value of relationships and networks formed there.
Victorian designers exhibiting to a global audience
Victorian designers have been participating in Milan for many years and have garnered a reputation, alongside other Australians, for creating world-class furniture and fixtures that are lauded for their ingenuity, meticulous craftsmanship, quality and skilful use of materials.
We spoke with 3 of Victoria’s most celebrated and respected lighting designers – Christopher Boots, Michael Murray (Rakumba) and Volker Haug – who all exhibited at Milan Design Week this year as part of FuoriSalone – exhibitions held across the city (rather than the Salone del Mobile) – and previously – to gain a firsthand perspective of the event and better understand what it takes to make it on such a high stakes, global platform.
Individually, Christopher Boots, Rakumba and Volker Haug Studio are all leaders in their chosen craft. Collectively, they represent the talent, diversity and breadth of reach of Victoria’s luxury lighting brands. Their combined success brings innovation and beautiful customised and small-batch manufacturing to the world while elevating Victoria’s reputation as an incubator of exceptional design.
Why does Milan matter?
Milan is the epicentre of world-class design and is considered the pinnacle of trade fairs. While it was originally conceived as a platform to promote Italian craftsmanship, it has evolved into a global showcase of the best of established and up-and-coming brands. Most importantly, it provides a level playing field that allows designers from all backgrounds and origins to reach a critical audience of media and decision makers.
Design, and more specifically lighting design, is such a visual industry, so it is vital for people to be able to see and touch the products, form an emotional relationship with them and envisage them in their own spaces. That cannot be achieved online or via photography. The sheer size and scope of the audience in Milan and being able to form personal connections with potential buyers are the key reasons why exhibiting there is the stepping stone to international success.
For Christopher Boots, Milan is ‘cultural oxygen,’ for Volker Haug, ‘it is the gathering of thoughts, ideas and visual expressions that is second to none’ and for Michael Murray it provides ‘the opportunity to actively engage with the best in the global design industry.’