The future of design

Does the cancellation of design fairs due to COVID-19 present a chance to rethink old habits?

- Aidan Imanova

Recent months has seen a mass cancellation of international design fairs and events, with many finding their normally brimming spring calendars unusually empty. While the COVID-19 pandemic surges on in most parts of the world, some are beginning to slowly lift restrictions, while attempting to recover from a huge hit on the world economy.

Similar struggles can be observed across the design industry where international design fairs such as Salone del Mobile.Milano play a major role in connecting the larger design ecosystem – an opportunity that was lost this year due to the event's cancellation in light of the pandemic.

“By suspending the 2020 edition of Salone, we've missed a very important occasion not only as a business opportunity but also as a moment for coming together and meeting with businesses, designers, collectors and design connoisseurs,” says Salone del Mobile president Claudio Luti, who is also CEO of the contemporary Italian furniture brand, Kartell.

Rue Kothari, director of Dubai-based fair Downtown Design adds that although design fairs remain largely traditional in their format, they have always played a key role in the industry’s ecosystem as platforms to build relationships, collaborate and discover new ideas, while personally interacting with the design on show.

“Aside from leaving our schedules looking decidedly blank, this situation has had a significant impact on brands who often plan their selling cycles around these exhibitions, she says. Many would have invested heavily on the innovation and development of new products and materials, specifically to launch at international platforms like Salone del Mobile.