Isaloni exhibition in Milan, April 4-9, 2017

My impressions of visiting one of the largest exhibitions in the field of design — Isaloni in Milan.

Tip: the exhibition is very large-scale, it is advisable to allocate at least three days for it, and if possible, more will not hurt. In my opinion, it is physically impossible to see everything in two days: 24 pavilions, 207,000 m², a lot of fast food and performances, and your strength is limited.

As for the pavilions, I was most impressed by 16-20: modern, uncompromising design that dictates fashion around the world and gives the Chinese new models to copy. The most striking for me are Kartell, Edra, Magic, Vitra. I understand that they are very far ahead: their design is a mix of furniture, design and performance, a kind of contemporary art. I would like to highlight the pavilions with lighting separately. There are four of them and each of them impressed me incredibly. For me, I determine whether an exhibition was successful by the number of photos I took, but in these pavilions it was only a question of how quickly the phone battery would run out.

My favorites: the Spaniard Arturo Alvarez with his bold solutions; Santa and Cole, built on a balance of rationalism, functionality and local lines. There are many replicas of their Cestita Bateria, but it was they who designed it back in 1963.

I would also like to thank Karman for their self-irony and modernity.

In general, I believe that design should obey the person, and not vice versa.

Obviously, many designers have been inspired by flora and fauna. A large number of floral elements could be traced in many expositions.

As for textiles, I would like to highlight velvet. The inclusion of such a luxurious material in modern, laconic interiors creates a unique picture.

As for the color: the world is definitely tired of gray, concrete shades — the abundance of bright colors is a clear confirmation of this.

Metal. I didn’t see a clear leader here — bronze, brass and gold competed for the title of the best.

What I am sure of is that wood will never go out of fashion. Natural wood textures of ash and pine with their natural shades and irregularities prevailed.

Stone. In my opinion, man is just trying to come up with something that nature created long ago. Many designers were inspired by the natural combinations of shades in stone, and they used them for door fittings, to create stunning coffee tables, and for impressive, solemn chandeliers.

Sans Souci is an example of how to create modern and large-scale works of art from crystal.

And of course, I am proud of our Ukrainians! Oleg Volosovsky and my fellow countrymen, the architects of light Expolight, headed by Nikolai Kabluka, have created a series of unique collages and masks that, thanks to LED lighting with various rotating lenses, create the impression of a living art object.