Milan Design Fair 2017 · Local Milan

After a week of unashamed Insta-stalking of the Milan Design Fair (Salone Del Mobile), this afternoon we take a look at ‘Local Milan’, an impressive showcase of Australian design at the world’s biggest design fair last week.

Curated by Sydney based designer, stylist and creative director Emma Elizabeth, this exhibition brought together the work of eleven established Australian designers, displayed within a historic building in Milan’s 5 Vie district.

Written

Lucy Feagins

11 Australian designers came together for the showcase ‘Local Milan’ presented by Local Design at Oratoria della Passione in Milan, as part the world’s premier design fair this month. Photo – Fiona Susanto.

Chair and light by Tom Fereday beside vessels from John Goulder. Photo – Fiona Susanto.

Vessels from John Goulder and chair by Adam Goodrum. Photo – Fiona Susanto.

Furniture designs from Dowel Jones on display. Photo – Fiona Susanto.

Chair and light by Tom Skeehan. Photo – Fiona Susanto.

The 11 Australian designers taking part in the ‘Local Design’ exhibition. Photo – Fiona Susanto.

Writer

Lucy Feagins

12th of April 2017

If you follow us on Instagram you may have noticed we’ve been keenly watching news from the Milan Design Fair (Salone Del Mobile) this year. The world’s biggest design fair is always a pivotal event for design news and trends globally, and this year, thanks to the immedicacy of Instagram Stories, we’ve been transfixed! Bold new furniture and lighting designs, incredible installations, and, of course, a vicarious peek at Milan’s most visually inspiring new bars and restaurants (we LOVE this one) and hotels (this one is on the bucket list). So. Much. To. Take. In.

We’ve been especially chuffed this year to see an impressive contingent of Australian designers exhibiting in Milan. Today, and again on Friday, we’ll review two exhibitions of Australian design which took place in Milan last week.

First up, we take a look at ‘Local Milan’, a showcase of work by eleven established Australian designers, curated by designer, stylist and creative director of ‘Local Design’ collective, Emma Elizabeth.

Emma is a Sydney based creative and seriously impressive go-getter, who has executed this exhibition almost single handedly, with the support of Brickworks Building Products.

A succinct collection of lighting, chairs and other functional design pieces were displayed atop sleek podiums created using 8000 hand-placed white bricks (!) within the Oratoria della Passione building in Milan’s historic ‘5 Vie’ district.

The exhibition brought together an impressive cross section of Australian designers, including Emma Elizabeth, Tom Fereday, ACV Studio, Kate Banazi + Ryan McGoldrick, Tom Skeehan, Ross Gardam, Adam Goodrum, Christopher Boots, Dowel Jones, Charles Wilson and Jon Goulder.

So, HOW does an international exhibition like this happen for Australian designers? Well, Emma says, it does help if you speak Italian.

‘I lived in Milan over ten years ago and studied here for three years… I know the city very well and can speak the language so this background has come in handy’ Emma admits.