In conversation with Dan Thawley, creative director of Matter and Shape

The design industry doesn’t usually have the pop-cultural power of fashion. You are unlikely to find the names of the best sofa, chair or glassware designers plastered across billboards or making headlines in weekend supplements after the Academy Awards. And that’s perhaps understandable: fashion seems more accessible because it feels more personal – our clothes are a big part of how we present ourselves to the world, an expression of who we are. It makes sense that the industry gets priority in terms of coverage and interest. But according to Dan Thawley, things are changing. “There has never been so much interest in design,” says the Paris-based artistic director. “If I had done this interview 10 years ago, I probably would have said to you that fashion has never been more fashionable. Now that’s true of design.”

Monocle is speaking to Thawley following the second edition of Matter and Shape, an annual design salon for which Thawley is artistic director. The event, which coincides with Paris Fashion Week every March, is the brainchild of Matthieu Pinet, who established the brand as an online design platform before deciding to turn it into a physical event with Thawley’s assistance. “The idea was to create something that would disrupt Fashion Week a little bit and make people question why, where and when they show projects related to design,” says Thawley of the salon’s 2024 debut. “We didn’t want to graft Matter and Shape onto existing design world events but rather to reach new audiences and think about people that don’t have the opportunity to be [at those design events].”

The initial fair featured 32 exhibitors and hosted a Jil Sander-backed series of design talks (which returned again this year). By the second edition, it had grown to host 60 exhibitors, with 8,000 visitors perusing works from a mix of emerging and established names, including Italian rug company Cc-Tapis, Bovezzo-based lighting firm Flos and Switzerland’s Vitra. “I want to tap into customers who are interested in both fashion and design,” says Abid Javed, founder of Objets Mito, an emerging London-based design studio that showed at this year’s salon. “There’s a nice crossover of sensibilities.” 

It was a crowd that also appealed to David Mahyari, the founder of Dutch natural stone company SolidNature. “Everybody was there – all of the architects and designers. And so was the fashion crowd, with all of the big names for Fashion Week,” Mahyari tells Monocle. “Paris makes sense as a place for this element of design to come together with fashion.”

Indeed, as Monocle wandered the halls of this year’s event, there were Italian greyhounds strutting about alongside young women perusing the salon in groups. It was a different demographic to those typically found at design fairs (there were very few old Italian men in suits and ties, for starters), with people clearly flitting between attending runway shows and walking around the salon.

“It often feels as though designers and design brands are always speaking to the same people,” says Thawley. “What I enjoy about Matter and Shape is walking through it with a person who I respect but isn’t a design expert and hearing them say, ‘Oh, I really like that!’ and ‘Tell me more about this.’ There might be an aestheticised public that is attuned to fashion and culture but there’s still a long way to go when it comes to design.”

Matter and Shape is on course to changing that narrative – and, at the very least, it’s giving design some pop-cultural relevance during Fashion Week.
matterandshape.com

How AIM Studio applies its creative vision to brand-building

In the initial stages of a residential project, Milan-based architecture and interiors firm AIM Studio likes to ask their clients for references that extend beyond architecture and design. This means cultural picks such as movies and books, but also favourite travel destinations and information about their family lives. Gathering clues about people’s ways of living and translating them into their homes is integral to being a mindful residential architect.

“We have a strong visual language, but we can’t impose it on our clients,” AIM Studio’s founder and creative director, Claudio Tognacca, tells Monocle when we visit his office in the north of Milan. “We need to create open conversations and understand needs.”

Since founding AIM Studio in 2012, Tognacca and his team have worked on interior design and architecture but also creative direction for brands and product development. However, the bread and butter of the studio is their expertise in creating clean-cut, minimal homes that hinge on superlative materials. “We love the textures that natural materials create,” says Tognacca. His colleague, architect and interior designer Anna de Rose, agrees. “Working with the same craftspeople and the same stone suppliers is the fil rouge of our practice.”

In the studio, a library of material samples has pride of place. As we talk, Tognacca pulls down different squares of chiseled stone to show variations in finishes (glossy, rough-cut, matte, and so on) that he offers his clients. “This one is called ceppo di gré; it can only be found in the north of Italy,” he says. “It was used to build a lot of Milan’s façades.” It’s a geologically minded approach to design that has the potential to create sensorial havens for residents. For example, one client from Sardinia’s apartment features limestone walls that evoke the sand found on the southern shores of his native Mediterranean island.

Another source of inspiration for Tognacca is the architecture and interiors found in Nordic countries and Japan. Both regions demonstrate expertise in stylistic restraint and a focus on functionality, especially in the context of smaller apartments with spaces that need to serve multiple functions, from guest room to home office. “I like the Japanese philosophy of wabi sabi. I like imperfect marble, for example, because it’s unique,” adds Tognacca, recalling that the studio once found a slab of marble with a dark spot that turned out to be a fossil. “It’s crazy to think that I can put a piece of the mountain or forest in my house.”

AIM Studio’s quiet confidence stands out in Milan, a city better known for gold, glitz, and glamour rather than considered minimalism. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of the firm’s clients are transplants to the city, not born-and-bred Milanese.) “Our clients are usually less Dolce & Gabbana, more Sunnei,” adds Tognacca, citing the local fashion brands to illustrate the different facets of the city. “And Milan is in constant evolution, at the crossroads of culture, fashion, and design.”

Those looking to renovate their apartments in the Italian city now have the option to infuse their homes with a sensibility inspired by Nordic and Japanese design—albeit with a proudly Italian focus on materiality.
aim-studio.com

Dressing the part: Five fashion brands at Salone del Mobile

1.
A-Poc Able Issey Miyake x Atelier Oï
Light work 

Issey Miyake’s A-Poc Able line aims to experiment with new technologies and craft techniques to highlight “the limitless potential of a piece of cloth”. “[This project could] extend far beyond the realm of clothing,” says designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae. “Fabric holds infinite possibilities.” 

It’s why the label is now looking beyond clothing and partnering with Swiss-based architecture studio Atelier Oï. The joint project, dubbed Type-XIII, features two series, which explore the possibilities of dressing lighting features with the house’s signature pleated and knit fabrics. The O Series includes portable lighting wrapped in pleated cloth that gently diffuses light. 

Meanwhile, the A Series uses Issey Miyake’s signature seamless knit fabric on lampshades of varying shapes and sizes. “These two series are not merely lighting fixtures,” says Miyamae. “They are objects that invite people to engage with the interplay of light and fabric, creating unique narratives within their spaces.”
isseymiyake.com

2.
Luca Faloni x Winetage
Chairs and graces 

Menswear specialist Luca Faloni is joining Salone del Mobile this year in a collaboration with fellow Italian furniture firm Winetage. They have co-designed a chaise longue with oakwood staves from a wine barrel, dressed in Faloni’s signature brushed cotton. “It transforms the space by creating a warm, welcoming environment,” says Faloni. “There’s visual and tactile comfort at the same time.”
lucafaloni.com

3.
Miu Miu Literary Club
Starting a new chapter

Miu Miu has joined the €1bn club. Its sales have been soaring thanks to creative director Miuccia Prada’s witty clothing, smart styling and her ability to tap into the world of culture. Apart from intelligent runway shows, the Italian luxury label has also been investing in the work of female artists. Its ongoing film series, Women’s Tales, has funded the production of 29 films by directors such as Joanna Hogg, Agnès Varda and Ava DuVernay. 

Recently, Miu Miu has dipped its toes in the world of literature, with a popular Literary Club and book kiosks popping up in cities including London, Milan and Tokyo. The Literary Club is making a return at the Salone del Mobile. Over two days the brand will host a series of public talks and performances at the Circolo Filologico Milanese. On the agenda? Women’s education, explored through the works of Simone de Beauvoir and Fumiko Enchi. 
miumiu.com

4.
Hermès: Collection for the Home
Heart of glass

French luxury house Hermès is taking over La Pelota, in the heart of the Brera design district, to present a new iteration of its popular home range. This year’s collection includes Casaque glasses and extra large blankets, featuring graphic shapes and bold primary colours.

Much like its sought-after leather goods, these new home designs highlight the brand’s dedication to the highest levels of craftsmanship – glasses are mouth-blown, while the circular shapes on the new cashmere blankets are the result of delicate needlework. Art plays a role too: Sudanese artist Amer Musa was invited to oversee the design of the blanket, drawing inspiration from checkers games.
hermes.com

5.
Loewe
Pot luck 

Spanish house Loewe is as committed to its yearly presentations at the Salone del Mobile as it is to Paris Fashion Week. In the past it has delighted the design community with exhibitions dedicated to the art of weaving or presentations of one-of-a-kind chairs, giving artists free creative license to reimagine antique chairs (dressing them in wool, strips of leather or even foil) and craft new designs. 

This year the house is turning its attention to a smaller design object: the teapot. It has enlisted 25 artists and architects to create their own interpretations through an array of materials, techniques – and plenty of humour. 

In signature Loewe fashion, creativity runs high: artists such as Rose Wylie, Akio Niisato and Madoda Fani experimented with exaggerated scales, different glazing finishes and unconventional textures. London-based architect David Chipperfield opted for a copper-clad handle, made in collaboration with ceramic artist Paula Ojea and jewellers Antonio Ibáñez and Josefa Castro. Their aim: to question the conventions around what a teapot should look like. “Spending so much time in cultures where tea-making is important has made me aware of the significance of the teapot as a central and useful object of daily life,” says Chipperfield.

South Korean artist Jane Yang D’Haene decorated her design with frayed ceramic ribbons. “Teapots bring warmth and comfort, often facilitating shared experiences and conversations,” she says. “This aligns with my focus on capturing human emotions and personal history.”

The presentation is accompanied by a selection of Loewe homewares, including Earl Grey tea-scented candles, leather botanical charms and tin-plated tea caddies. “Exhibitions like Loewe Teapots are an important complement to Salone del Mobile,” says Chipperfield. “They invite public participation and elevates the week from an industry gathering to a city-wide celebration of design.”
loewe.com

A round-up of eight architects’ vision for automobiles

Architects and designers have long been entranced with the dynamic potential of the automobile. From Edwin Lutyens to Renzo Piano, many have attempted to create their own cars – with mixed success. There have been a good number of speed freaks among their ranks too: Frank Lloyd Wright had to stop driving after too many near-misses, while one of Le Corbusier’s most treasured memories was hurtling around Fiat’s rooftop test track in Turin in an open-top Balilla Sport. Here’s a round-up of some creatives and their relationship to four wheels.

Norman Foster
Like many architects, Foster has been fascinated by new possibilities for the internal space of cars. Among Foster’s extensive car collection is a recreation of one of Buckminster Fuller’s 1930s Dymaxions, a strange “wingless plane” which unfortunately proved fatally unstable at speed.

Marc Newson
Marc Newson’s designs have often been inspired by the automotive world, perhaps most notably with his Orgone chair, which evokes the work of the great Italian coach builders of the 1950s and 1960s. But in 1999, Newson designed a complete car, the funky, orange, composite-bodied 1999 Ford 021C concept. Built by Ghia in Italy, it is one of the great “what-ifs” of recent car design history.

Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier often included his beloved Voisin (designed with the help of an architect, André Telmont) in photographs of his buildings. Inspired by a visit to the Ford plant in Detroit, Le Corbusier believed that there was much for architects to learn from automotive production lines. His 1936 sketches for his own car design – the simple, rear-engined, flat-floored Voiture Minimum, sadly never made – still look modern today.

Giò Ponti
Giò Ponti designed a car in 1953 based on the measurements of an Alfa Romeo chassis. With its large glasshouse and plunging bonnet, the Linea Diamante, was decades ahead of its time. More a set of design principles than a car, its influence on vehicles of the 1970s – such as the Fiat 127, Volvo 340 and Saab 99 – is clear.

Renzo Piano
As president of independent research institute, Idea, Piano oversaw the design of the highly influential vss experimental car, which did eventually evolve into the production Fiat Tipo.

Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens is perhaps the last architect one would associate with the automobile. But in the 1920s he came up with an idea for a royal state limousine which blended 19th-century carriage design with modern pneumatic tyres. Thankfully it was never built.

Frank Lloyd Wright
From his first car – a 1910 Stoddard-Dayton – onwards, Frank Lloyd Wright insisted on customising the bodies for his cars (usually painted Cherokee Red) and was a big fan of convertibles. His favourite brand was the now-defunct Cord, though he also loved the Lincoln Continental and made drawings, never realised, for his own car: a wildly impractical, futuristic vehicle he called the Road Machine, which seated three abreast. 

Walter Gropius
Bauhaus director Walter Gropius collaborated with Adler in Frankfurt for four years in the 1930s. His creations were rather stolid but he did design one of the first cars whose seats could fold into a bed – echoing a common obsession of the “car-chitects” to create houses on wheels. 

What to expect from Salone del Mobile 2025

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Salone del Mobile has an outsized effect on its host city. According to Milan Design (Eco) System, a study published last year by the furniture fair with Politecnico di Milano, the event generated €275m in income for the city in 2024. The report examined factors beyond the trade fair, incorporating all of the ancillary events that take place during the week of Salone del Mobile and help to make the city a global capital for the design industry.

None of this is happenstance. “The fair itself is about business but it’s supported by our cultural events that are about contextualising design,” says Maria Porro, Salone del Mobile’s president, when Monocle meets her outside Milan’s Castello Sforzesco. We are here to discuss the cultural events that Salone del Mobile is commissioning and curating around this year’s trade fair. “It’s a very long-lasting project – this idea of hosting cultural events and special exhibitions in the city.”

Indeed, Salone del Mobile has been venturing beyond the trade hall almost since its inception in 1961. In 1965 it commissioned a showcase called Retrospective Exhibition on Furniture Design in Italy from 1945 to the Present, a museum-like display exploring 20 years of Italian design. But the momentum of its cultural programme picked up in earnest in 1987, and almost every year since, there have been major design-minded exhibitions.

There have been partnerships with the Triennale di Milano design museum, which held a retrospective on the work of Marva Griffin, the head of Salone Satellite, last year. (“We give young designers a platform because talent deserves to be seen,” says Griffin.) There have also been collaborations with established filmmakers such as David Lynch and, this year, Paolo Sorrentino.

The headline act of 2025, however, is an installation called “Mother”, created in collaboration with Milan Municipality’s culture department. Located in Castello Sforzesco, at the Museo della Pietà Rondanini (a space dedicated to Michelangelo’s unfinished final statue), it’s a 30-minute sequence of music, lights, and images. Created by prominent US playwright and stage director Robert Wilson, it’s supported by a soundtrack of music by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. “The ‘Rondanini Pietà’ is one of Milan’s most important artworks,” says Porro. “Can lighting and architecture enhance its accessibility? Yes. That’s why we called upon Robert Wilson to explore this.”

Wilson’s multisensory work will be repeated on loop and be kept open to the public until 18 May, in an attempt to entice both visitors and locals to the space. “We want to show that [the right companies] can help people to discover this masterpiece,” says Porro. “We are underlining the role of design firms in creating good projects that can attract visitors to a public museum.”

Aside from using one of the US’s best-known playwrights to attract people to a museum in the city, Porro is also concerned about the legacy that such initiatives leave. Salone del Mobile has also commissioned a work by UK contemporary artist and designer Es Devlin at the Pinacoteca di Brera, a university, library, and observatory in central Milan. Called the “Library of Light”, it consists of a revolving cylindrical sculpture that functions as a bookcase at the heart of the 17th-century Cortile d’Onore. Measuring 18 metres in diameter, it will contain 2,000 books exploring our humanity. As well as being an impressive undertaking intended to offer a place to stop and read during Milan Design Week, it’s also part of an effort to create a legacy.

“We’re gifting the city the installation because we believe that a creative city needs long-term projects and we don’t just want to be using the space as a location,” says Porro. “Salone has been shaping Milan for more than 60 years and we want every cultural initiative that we undertake to give back, leave a legacy, and start discussions on the question, ‘What is good design?’”

For Salone del Mobile, this isn’t just about financial returns or even generating interest: it’s also about nourishing the cultural life of the city.

Our top 25 furniture picks to purchase at Salone del Mobile

1.
Roè armchair by Fast
Italy
Designer Francesco Meda and interior designer David López Quincoces wanted to blur the lines between the indoors and the outdoors for their collaboration with Fast. This dining chair is a stylish option for a summer aperitivo or alfresco dinner.
fastspa.com

2.
Stelo chair by Mattiazzi
Italy
London-based design consultancy Industrial Facility reinterprets the typology of an all-wooden English Windsor chair. With a curved back that extends into relaxed armrests, it embodies Mattiazzi’s dedication to craft, with its components seamlessly assembled in batches by artisans.
mattiazzi.eu

3. 
The Boxed Collection side table by SCP
UK
Swiss-French designer Julie Richoz teamed up with SCP to create a side table that fits into the confines of a standard shipping container. Its burnt-orange hollow box shape features curved pillars and exposed screws that lend a subtle industrial edge. scp.co.uk

4.
Passage chair by Kettal
Spain
French designer Ronan Bouroullec’s piece might look simple at first glance but it boasts technical innovation and attention to detail. With an aluminium frame and an extruded backrest, the chair is available in all-aluminium or with seat in materials including rope and papiro fibre.
kettal.com

5.
Boltons lamp by Artemide
Italy
This playful lighting element consists of a metal disk that rests on a pyramidal clear-glass base, courtesy of Swiss architecture firm Herzog & De Meuron. Its lightweight form is a masterclass in the technical art of light design.
artemide.com

6.
Dezza armchair by Poltrona Frau
Italy
Originally designed by Gio Ponti in 1965, the Dezza armchair is turning 60 this year. To celebrate, a limited run of 60 pieces is being released, featuring unpublished illustrations of hands by the Italian design maestro.
poltronafrau.com

7. 
Cygnet chandelier by Michael Anastassiades
UK
Unveiled at the Fondazione Danese, this geometric lighting system by London-based Cypriot designer Michael Anastassiades was inspired by childhood memories of flying paper kites. Thanks to its paper shades, it diffuses a soft glow.
michaelanastassiades.com

8. 
Reformer by Technogym
Italy
This Pilates reformer machine was developed in collaboration with renowned instructors to ensure performance through controlled movement. It’s crafted from wood, aluminium and vegan leather – the sandstone colourway is our top pick for workout spaces.
technogym.com

9.
Chaise longue à réglage by Cassina
Italy
It’s 60 years since Cassina began issuing this familiar chaise longue by Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret. To celebrate, the Italian manufacturer is releasing an electric-blue iteration that provides a jolt of joy.
cassina.com

10.
Seeds table by Ethimo
Italy
Italian designer Cristina Celestino’s Seeds collection of furniture for outdoors-focused producer Ethimo features earthy tones and organic elements. This table’s combination of brass legs, pastel-green hue and wooden top is a sophisticated option for your garden or terrace.
ethimo.com

11. 
Auro table by De Padova
Italy
Now for a design that commands attention. Crafted primarily from marble, this table is a feat of natural material beauty. Available in elliptical and round iterations, it brings a sculptural presence to interiors.
depadova.com

12.
Touch cabinet by Zanat
Bosnia and Herzegovina
UK-based Studioilse’s Touch collection of furniture for Zanat includes this cabinet made from solid wood. With deep shelves, slim legs and delicate handmade carvings on its doors, it combines Balkan manufacturing expertise with London flair.
zanat.org

13. 
Diffrient Lounge Chair and Stool by Humanscale
USA
American industrial designer Niels Diffrient has given his name to the first lounge chair produced by New York-based Humanscale. Reflecting the brand’s commitment to comfort in the office, an integrated work surface and adaptable back and headrest make it an appealing workstation.
humanscale.com

14.
Twin sideboard by Porro
Italy
Dordoni Studio interprets constructivist geometry with this sideboard table, made from black-stained ash and mirrorpieces. The low, elongated structure connects two contrasting volumes: one side features a hollow form, while the other is topped with a mirror.
porro.com

15. 
Africa chair by Tacchini
Italy
Tacchini is diving into its rich archive to reissue this chair by designer-couple Tobia and Afra Scarpa. Its rounded shapes and split backrest are unpretentiously spectacular. We’re grateful to see it back in production.
tacchini.it

16.
Planetario Giove loveseat by Dolce & Gabbana Casa
Italy
This season the Italian luxury brand seeks some sunny inspiration from the coastal landscapes of southern Italy. This inviting armchair captures the warmth of the region’s hospitality, with a welcoming rounded seat, curved backrest and oakwood base.
dolcegabbana.com

17. 
Grid shelf by Time & Style
Japan
The Grid shelf by Japanese furniture brand Time & Style’s is available in a multitude of different configurations, with the possibility to add (or subtract) shelves, draws and cubby holes. A standout storage system to organise your life.
timeandstyle.com

18.
Porthole mirror by No-Ga
Sweden
A designer of many talents, Willo Perron’s collection for Scandinavian brand No-Ga demonstrates his expertise in theatrical designs with a modular approach to interiors, making your home a stage. This mirror, with its four-piece glossy frame and fluid edges, is futuristic in looks but hand-crafted every step of the way.
no-ga.com

19.
Giano table by Luxence
Italy
Luxury Living Group’s own furniture brand Luxence is a celebration of Italian expertise and craftsmanship. Made from marble, with a distinct red lacquer finish, the sculptural Giano dining table is an ode to the Italian arte della tavola.
luxurylivinggroup.com

20.
Lambda table by Rimadesio
Italy
The latest in Italian industrial architect and designer Giuseppe Bavusio’s 39-year collaboration with furniture-maker Rimadesio is an impressive dining table made of Verde Lepanto – a type of green marble quarried in Turkey. Its intricate lines strike the balance between practical object and piece of art.
rimadesio.it

21.
Cycad sconces by Joe Armitage
UK
This double-sconce lamp by Joe Armitage is part of a collection commissioned by Milan’s design doyenne Nina Yashar for Nilufar Gallery. Showcased during Milan Design Week, the wall lamp is made from walnut and brass with recycled plastic shades.
joearmitage.com

22.
Great sofa by Hem
Sweden
A name that promises all a sofa needs to be. British-Canadian designer Philippe Malouin’s modular sofa for Hem boasts the perfect ratio of softness and firmness. Its Kvadrat upholstery stays tucked in thanks to elasticated corners, a functional touch that doesn’t compromise on aesthetics.
hem.com

23.
Biboni Sofa by Knoll
USA
Designed by Californian architecture firm Johnston Marklee, this sofa is an ode to anthropomorphic design. The seating system features sculptural curves that mimic the human form with soft, puffy folds that provide comfort and support. Its exterior is intended to evoke human skin.
knoll.com

24.
Treetops lamp by Memphis
Italy
This lamp doesn’t only light up a room, it also lifts the mood thanks to its playful colours and composition. Piedmont-based brand Memphis (a revival project of the unconventional and fun-tastic design movement of the 1980s) is bringing back this postmodern interpretation of a tree branch on a breezy day.
memphis.it

25.
Atollo lounge chair by Studioutte
Italy
Milan-based multidisciplinary practice Studioutte’s Atollo collection consists of furniture crafted from solid glossy wood. This low armchair is made up of four upholstered blocks that also allow for negative space. Its muted monochromatic exterior exudes refined simplicity.
studioutte.com