Legacy is hard to endure. It’s near impossible if you’re a descendant of a notable furniture-producing clan in Italy. The difficult part is not to live up to the expectations but to surpass the success of your predecessors. And to that, if you are at the helm of the world’s prominent international design event, you better embrace yourself for the blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of scrutiny that would come your way.
Maria Porro, the President of Salone del Mobile.Milano knows this first hand. Porro was in her mid-20s – still learning the nitty-gritty of design – when she got her first big international assignment. Still a beginner at work, Porro was asked to assist a high-profile director, and set and costume designer for an Opera production in Brazil.
“I was working for months from here in Italy to design all the sets. It was very complicated. The prime minister of Brazil was supposed to come to the event. So it was very important,” she narrates.
When Porro reached the location in Brazil, she was taken aback. The set wasn’t ready, nor were the costumes. What she rather saw was a scuffle between the organizer and the director. “Being an assistant, I was going all around trying to fix things but wasn’t able to, and at the last moment, I had to come back. The fact that I worked day and night, for months, to prepare something that never happened was such heartbreak,” she reminisces.
Filled with disappointment, she promised herself something that day, “If I’m ever in the same situation, I will not behave as the boss did; I will make it work because, after one year of preparation, you have to make it work.”
Come 2024, battering all odds and blazing her trail, the Lady Marshal of Salone del Mobile, as I choose to call her, has set up an example for generations on how to lead a global design event (even in the middle of the pandemic). During the whirlwind days leading up to the fair, Maria Porro sat down for an interview with me, sharing the trials and triumphs of her career, alongside offering a glimpse into the 62nd anniversary of the event.
In the history of Salone del Mobile, many presidents have come and gone, but for Maria Porro, Salone is more than just an annual event. It’s a cherished legacy passed down through generations. It’s an event where her grandfather, father, and she have exhibited. “It’s strange to say but my first memory of Salone is about escalators because in the old fairs, there were these huge escalators that I had never seen as a young kid. I remember looking at different spaces of the different companies from those escalators. It was like being in a Luna Park.” Porro remembers.
Over the years, she noticed how her father and grandfather (owners of Porro Spa) showcased their products at the event. Porro slowly got the hang of what her family had been working so hard for. “It was a very important realization for me”, she states offering glimpses into the enchanting design empire her forefathers had built over the years. These formative experiences, steeped in the magic of creativity and craftsmanship, laid the foundation for Maria’s lifelong passion for design and innovation.
What to Expect From Salone del Mobile 2024?
Stressing on this year’s event, Porro informed, “The title (theme) of this Salone is ‘Where Design Evolves’. So we focus on the idea of evolution because Salone is a place where you discover new trends. It’s a stage where the companies present new products, and it’s also a place where the design community gathers together. So, what one can expect from the Salone this year, is the possibility of creating new and interesting connections. In addition to this, the cultural value of Salone is more important, and that’s why we organize special events and cultural exhibitions inside the fair pavilions,” Porro tells me.
The 62nd edition of Salone del Mobile will feature a myriad of cultural events and exhibitions like Salone Satellite, EuroCucina, International Bathroom Exhibition, Workplace 3.0, International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition, and many more.
Porro also highlights notable installations, including “Interiors by David Lynch: A Thinking Room”, Under the Surface”, the second installation designed and created by Accurat, Design Group Italia, and Emiliano Ponzi, and “All You Have Ever Wanted to Know About Food Design in Six Performances”- the latter being an immersive event curated by six authoritative food magazines.
All these exhibitions are set to lure attendees to immerse themselves in the intersection of art, design, and innovation. “The installations that we organize present the future development of the furniture and design industry overall,” Maria states. Another important facet of this year’s event is the silver jubilee of Salone Satellite, a brainchild of Marva Griffin.
Celebrating its 25 years, Salone Satellite emerges as a beacon of innovation, showcasing the visionary work of young designers. This year’s event aims to enhance the links between designers and industry, focusing on designers under the age of 35.
Looking forward to the 25th anniversary of the event, Porro stresses, “Salone Satellite dedicated to young designers is the place where you can see the future because young talents are always stressing a lot the new ideas, a new concept, and of course, the sustainability aspect and the research about new materials and a new way to design products to make them more sustainable is an important trend.”
Fostering a Culture of Sustainability
Sustainability takes center stage again at Salone del Mobile, reflecting a growing commitment to eco-friendly materials and practices. As the foremost platform for the contemporary furniture industry, Salone del Mobile recognizes the importance of sustainability and has been part of the Global Compact and the European Certification for Sustainable Events for two years.
“To get this kind of certification, you have to ensure that you have a strong commitment towards sustainability, both in terms of the way you release all the installations, including the kind of materials that you use, the fact that you will ensure that your installation can be reused and can be repaired to last for years,” Porro informs.
“From materials used in installations to social responsibility practices, Salone del Mobile adopts a holistic approach, fostering a culture of sustainability that extends to exhibitors and attendees alike,” she adds underscoring the profound impact of sustainability on a company’s reputation and ethos. Not only this, Salone del Mobile is also introducing a food waste management system at the fair, so the waste food at the end of the day will be given to different activities for the city. “It’s a 360-degree approach,” Porro acknowledges.
While many may consider Maria Porro as someone born with the golden spoon, she has had her fair share of trials and triumphs. “I am not a princess, I am a hard worker,” she says. Whether reminiscing about her theatrical days or recalling the time spent at family workshops, Maria Porro’s journey is that of discovery, inspiration, and connection, fueled by passion to prove that she can make it work irrespective of how hard the circumstances are.
If you are one of the attendees at the global design fair this year, Maria’s message to you is short and simple, “Allow yourself to embark on a journey of design fueled by the ethos of sustainability and the promise of unparalleled excitement that Salone del Mobile offers.”
Homecrux thanks Patrizia Malfatti and Giulia Halabi for their help in organizing the interview.
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