This article is part of a special report on design previewing Milan Design Week.
The cruel irony of Milan Design Week, which runs until Sunday, is that it requires an enormous amount of effort. Visitors have to walk quickly from booth to booth and from showroom to showroom if they want to see even a fraction of the merchandise around town. But many attractive new products, such as the chairs, sofas and bed linens presented below, are all about rest and relaxation. On the positive side, you can generally take a moment to indulge in the display to see how comfortable it is. ah!
Lounge chairs for everyone
American designer Stephen Burks has teamed up once again with outdoor furniture company Dedon to create new pieces using the company's signature woven fibers. Mr. Burks introduces the Kida Lounge Chair, adding to its existing collection that includes a hanging swing chair and dining chair.
“Kida’s original plan for 2019 was to build a fully constructed outdoor swing,” Mr. Burks said in an email. “What’s very interesting is that the results are just the opposite. The fully wrapped structure is the first product in the Dedon collection to treat the fibers with surface texture and color while maintaining a structurally open lightweight frame.”
Like the rest of Kida's range, the new lounge chair includes coiled fiber bands that form the seat frame, creating a look that Mr. Burks said “looks at home in both residential and contract settings.” A band of color that stretches across the chair's back adds a vibrant pop to the piece and can be left exposed or supported by cushions for added comfort.
“I would like to see Kida distributed naturally throughout urban and natural public spaces,” Burks said. “It is open and available to everyone.”
The work is on display from Tuesday to Sunday at Salone del Mobile, Hall 9, Stand L01/L03. dedon.us. — Lauren Messman
Furniture that pulls double duty
During past Design Weeks, Alberto Biagetti and Laura Baldassari, founders of design studio Atelier Biagetti, collaborated with curator and journalist Maria Cristina Didero to openly explore a variety of topics, from the spiritual to the pornographic. From 2015 to 2017, we held a series of exhibitions with the themes of ‘God’, ‘No Sex’, and ‘Body Building’. “We wanted to talk about the future,” Mr. Didero said of this year.
In collaboration with MCM, a luxury fashion and leather goods company, we are introducing 'Wearable Casa', a furniture that combines clothing and accessories. Seven works from the collection are displayed at Palazzo Cusani, a 17th-century palace in central Milan.
“It’s about modern nomads,” Mr. Didero said of the collection. “We are all connected through the internet and social media. “It’s a dynamic life for people who are always moving around.”
The items include the Chatty Sofa, a round two-seater with a white upholstery shaped like the word “CASA” on it. The studio incorporated a version of the neck pillow used on airplanes into the center of the letter 'C'.
“You can remove it from the sofa structure and take it with you on the plane,” Mr. Didero said.
Versatility also led to the creation of the Magic Gilet, a sturdy leather utility vest that transforms into a cabinet, and the Tatamu leather mat that folds into a daybed.
“Atelier Biagetti’s design approach oscillates between reality and irony. There is always something to make you laugh,” Mr. Didero said.
The exhibition runs from Monday to Sunday at Palazzo Cusani, Via Brera 13/15. atelierbiagetti.com. — Laura May Todd
Sofa honoring the designer
Hannes Peer's new sofa for Minotti is named Yves in tribute to Yves Saint Laurent. why? The French designer has “broken the rigidity of fashion,” Mr. Peer said, and he wants to do the same with furniture.
“My sofa is two systems that work as one,” he said. Combining geometric lines and organic shapes, Yves offers a variety of modules that can be arranged at different depths to create small spaces that can fit a small table or ottoman. The upholstery is tailored with asymmetrical seams (another fashion compliment). “You can vary or mix shapes and shapes to be conservative or organic,” Peer said.
Representing Minotti's new generation of collaborators and embrace of curvature is the 47-year-old architect and designer, who got his start at the family-owned furniture company. “I like to play perfectly.” (Minotti sofas are traditionally square, in the best way.)
The seat is a layer of polyurethane of varying density covered with soft, thick quilting. The backrest and armrests are removable and can be upholstered in your choice of fabric or leather. Yves stands on delicate feet of chrome-plated aluminum and will be released in the US in the fall. You can see it in Salone del Mobile, hall 11. minotti.com. — Arlene Hirst
Taking Weed to Bed
Hemp fabrics have long been prized for their antibacterial and anti-odor properties, as well as their ability to keep people warm in the winter and cool in the summer. These fabrics become softer and smoother with use and extend their lifespan. But hemp is probably not something anyone could describe as luxurious until now.
Japanese brand Majotae debuted its new luxury hemp bedding line called Majotae 9490 in two presentations during Milan Design Week. Both presentations were designed in collaboration with Teruhiro Yanagihara Studio, based in Kobe, Japan and Arles, France.
The presentation at the Secci Milano art gallery (Via Olmetto 1) is the more sensory of the two, giving visitors the opportunity to interact with the richly colored sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases that make up the Majotae 9490 collection. (The name refers to the number of days the average person sleeps in their lifetime.)
The Bridal Shop Berta (Via Cesare Correnti 14) provides a historically detailed overview of hemp. Known as Taimahu In Japan, where it was introduced more than 10,000 years ago, it was adapted into ropes to ward off evil spirits and loincloths worn by sumo wrestlers. It was a breathable undergarment worn under armor and served as an insulating layer for hunters in winter. Examples from the Majotae archive, consisting of more than 1,500 hemp artifacts, are on display.
Both exhibitions can be viewed Tuesday through Sunday. The product will be sold worldwide through majotae9490.com starting in May. — Pilar Villadas