The Salone del Mobile furniture fair in Milan has been postponed until 16-21 June in response to Italy’s coronavirus outbreak. Salone del Mobile, which is the world’s largest and most important furniture fair, was originally scheduled for April 21 – 26 as the headline to Milan Design Week. However, the surge in cases of the new Covid-19 strain of coronavirus in northern Italy has forced the fair to change its plans.
Confirmation of the change of date for the trade fair – strongly supported by the Mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala – means that the manufacturers, in a major show of responsibility, will be able to present their finalized work to an international public that sees the annual appointment with the Salone del Mobile as a benchmark for creativity and design.
We won't stop. We can't stop. Salone del Mobile.Milano will be held from 16th to 21st June at Rho Fiera Milano, hear @BeppeSala, Mayor of #Milano, to know more#SaloneDelMobile #SaloneDelMobile2020 #iSaloni #Eurocucina #SaloneDelBagno pic.twitter.com/Qanh1W1w4Z
— Salone del Mobile (@iSaloniofficial) February 25, 2020
Video Transcript in English: “Good evening to you all from the offices of the Salone del Mobile, where we have had to discuss a very live and much-debated issue. The Salone was due to open on 21st April, but we have decided to postpone it by a couple of months. The new date is therefore 16th June. I am calling on our colleagues in the furnishing sector and the Salone del Mobile to pull together to make sure Milan doesn’t grind to a halt. We need to work objectively to stop this virus spreading, but we must also take care not to spread the virus of distrust. Milan has to carry on. So I would like to thank them all for this proof of confidence because it’s not easy right now to try and appeal to visitors and convince professionals from all over the world, but I believe this is the right decision. Nevertheless, as I am fond of saying, it is crucial for everyone to do their bit. Therefore I call on the government to intervene and provide some help for a fundamental sector for our economy. I am also making a special appeal to our hoteliers. This year we need to be especially careful about how we pitch the price of hotel rooms because this year will be no ordinary one. Thank you, Milan will be by your side, so it will be a very particular Salone, a Salone in a different month but a great Salone to all!”
Other events impacted by the spread of coronavirus include the Light + Building fair in Frankfurt, which has been postponed until September. In China, several design events, including Design Shanghai and Festival of Design, have also been postponed.
The coronavirus outbreak, which was first reported in Wuhan, China at the end of last year, has infected more than 80,000 people in 36 countries. The global death toll now stands at over 2,700.