out and about :: salonesatellite, milan 2014

This article was published 12 years

SaloneSatellite is my favourite part of the fair, and always a great place to spot rising stars. It was launched in 1998 to bring together the most promising new designers from all over the world and immediately became an incubator of young creative talent. Many of the pieces presented as prototypes in previous years have gone into production, and many of the young designers have gone onto become leading figures in the industry. Here are my top picks…

Circle Meets Square by Polish-born, Hamberg-based design Olga Bielawska is inspired by the dynamism in geometric forms that enables the table top to appear to float, and designed to be stackable and easy to manufacture.

Y6 is a collection based on the idea of wrapping pieces of wood with metal, using a clamping technique to fix them in place with a minimal design. It’s the brainchild of Cairo based design studio yellow. “We love to experiment with different materials and various manufacturing techniques around us; anything that triggers our minds,” say the designers.

The Tube Vase by Kenji Fukushima is made from malleable tin, so each one can be shaped and altered by hand to create something bespoke for the user. Tin is also said to have antibacterial properties, meaning that flowers will last longer.

Porte Bagages by Lise El Sayed are rosewood and knitted wool nets designed as shelves where the storage space is determined by weight and volume of the things being stored.

Tula Blomma was designed by Swedish Ninja aka Maria Gustavsson. She says, “For my 5 year old daughter; you are a true epicurean! Life is a big adventure and I believe you will make sure you enjoy it.”

Trifula chair by Italian designer Eugenia Minerva is named after a word from the ancient, Greek-influenced dialect of Southern Apulia, “trifulo,” which means ‘rush’. This common seaside plant’s stems have been tangled together by the hands of skilled artisans to form dense fish traps for generations. “Trifula is a tribute to ancient traditions that are disappearing as well as to the use of natural materials, such as the rush, which create incredible embroideries with their durability and flexibility,” says the designer.

The Phytophiler by Italian design studio Dossofiorito is “a series of hand-thrown terracotta pots on which functional appendices are installed, suggesting possible gestures and daily care for the plants that inhabit our living spaces” – embracing the return of the house plant and my favourite find at SaloneSatellite.

The Ply collection by Christoph Freidrich Wagner includes these beautifully understated lamps, available in three sizes, various designs and with cable in various colours. They stand alone, but look great in a group, the ply wood softens the light perfectly.

These brass and reclaimed leather Candlestix can be stacked and played with when not busy holding candles – designed by Ariane van Dievoet, the designer behind Avandi.

Dune is inspired by the softness of wind-blown sand. It’s quilted texture is intended to bring the characteristics of upholstery to the floor, creating a rug that can be walked over, but is also perfect for sitting or lying on. Designed by Hanna Emelie Ernsting and Sarah Boettger.

Endlessly curious Norwegian design duo Vera & Kyte were launching their new collection, including the Apparel wardrobe and room divider.

I loved the versatile Pino Pino vases by Maija Puoskari, masterminded to solve the problem of never having the right vase for the flowers you receive. The vases stack to enable you to adapt the colours and the size, and the addition of a wooden lid turns them into a handy container when not in use.