MILAN — Talk of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s trade policy was a mood killer at the 63rd edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano, which finished up Sunday here.
At the fair, which hosted the 32nd edition of the Euroluce light exhibition under the aegis of the “Thought for Humans” theme, Trump’s recent round of dealmaking with key trade partners had European, mainly Italian, businesses at the fair were hoping for a zero-for-zero tariff agreement for European goods. At the same time leaders are gearing up for the worst-case scenario.
“I think it’s important to stay positive,” said Kartell owner Claudio Luti, who let out a labored sigh. “But even in the case of the worst, we need to find a solution to remain in the U.S.,” he told WWD, adding that the firm will continue with its global roster of openings that will number 20 by the end of 2025, including Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; New Delhi, and its third Dubai store.
Related Articles
At the fair, the Lombardy-based company unveiled the Grande Panda Kartell, a joint project with carmaker Fiat, and several new editions, including new designs by Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba like the Super Tubby sofa, the Albert table and the Lillybet and Belvedere chairs — available in both indoor and outdoor versions.
You May Also Like
Salone del Mobile was staged at Milan’s Rho Fiera trade grounds and welcomed 2,103 exhibitors, up from 1,950 last year.
Luti’s son Federico, the firm’s commercial director, said the performance in China and the Middle East might have the potential to help offset negative effects of tariffs. The firm has its eye on further store openings in second-tier Chinese cities like Nanjing and Shenzhen. The U.S. is its sixth-largest market by sales.
Amid the escalating trade war, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni canceled her opening speech at Salone del Mobile.Milano slated for April 8, and held a meeting with her cabinet and leaders of key industrial bodies to examine sectors’ exposure to Trump’s tariffs, which would impact everything from wine to cars. Through a government statement, she urged pragmatism in light of the matter. The right-wing leader is preparing for her own U.S. meeting with Trump on Thursday and will return to Italy on Friday to receive U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
The Italian government added that a trade war would be negative for both the European Union and the U.S. and that “alarmism would cause greater damage than that strictly connected with duties,” the government statement said.
Pillars of the Italian design community were hesitant to openly criticize the Trump administration, but the intent to safeguard relationships with their U.S. clientele was abundantly clear. Testament to the importance of the U.S. market, Kartell opened a store at 152 Madison Avenue in 2023 in the heart of the NoMad design district. In the same year, upscale linens maker Frette opened on 806 Madison Avenue.
“I believe in the U.S… we have been through so many ups and downs like 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial crisis of 2008, and I remain positive because we have the resources to manage this very challenging situation,” said Frette’s chief executive officer Filippo Arnaboldi. The company unveiled an upbeat collaboration with British designer Tara Bernerd at the fair. Arnaboldi said Frette has the flexibility to avoid raising prices on the final consumer. “We are ready to absorb some of the increases,” he said.
In a trade note in March, national statistics bureau Istat examined Italy’s exposure to the U.S. vis-a-vis exports amid the global escalation on trade. The report said that furniture accounts for 2.5 percent of all of Italy’s goods exported to the U.S. Of all the goods Italy exports, 14 percent are from the furniture industries. That number surged 47.1 percent in 2024 from 2019 but inched up just 1.1 percent year-on-year. Italian exports to the U.S. accounted for 10 percent of all goods, in-line with those exported to Germany but higher than those traded with France and Spain.
“Furthermore, the growing adoption of inward-looking industrial policies in many countries and the increasing protectionist stance in trade policy, particularly in the United States, could negatively influence trade growth in the short and medium run,” the Istat report said.
Italy’s trade surplus with the U.S. reached about 35 billion euros in 2024, Istat said.
In 2024, turnover of Italy’s wood furnishing sector, which represents the backbone of the wider luxury furnishings sector, slipped 2.9 percent to 51.7 billion euros, dragged down by domestic sales, which represented more than 62 percent of the total. Exports fell 2.1 percent and accounted for 38 percent of all of Italy’s wood furnishing sales, according to Federlegno Arredo, the Italian federation of woodworking and furniture industries.
Companies like Oniro Group, which owns the licenses to produce Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors, Gianfranco Ferré Home and Etro Home Interiors, is banking on the performance of other markets to offset the negative impact. This year, Etro Home Interiors presented an installation named “5 Threads, 40 years,” a narrative rediscovery of Etro’s legendary Arnica pattern, from its origins to the design and manufacturing process, culminating in its transformation into timeless objects. At Roberto Cavalli Home, the Wings Vegas armchair was presented in a private room with blue lights and music by Elvis Presley.
For Oniro’s general manager Massimiliano Ragazzi, it’s still a wait-and-see scenario.
“For the first months of the year, we have confirmed that our historical markets like the Middle East are outperforming. We have to wait for international developments to unravel to figure out how to move in the coming months,” reflected Ragazzi, adding that it will take action once the European Union has expressed its opinion on the matter. The European Union last week revealed a 90-day pause on countermeasures against the United States, following Trump’s announcement of a similar pause.
Tariffs talk dampened Porro‘s 100th anniversary this year. Its owner Lorenzo Porro winced when the conversation turned to a looming trade war. Porro was founded in 1925 by his grandfather, Giulio, and brother, Stefano. His daughter Maria Porro is Salone del Mobile.Milano’s president. Porro said Trump’s tariff policy and the geopolitical scenario in general is creating more uncertainty than the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial crisis. In November, Porro made its U.S. debut with a new showroom on New York’s East 31st Street and Madison Avenue in partnership with West I Out East.
“We will continue to open stores around the world where we see opportunities in 2026, but it’s difficult to make forecasts at this time,” he said, adding that positive signs are emanating from the Russia, India and Middle East markets, as well as contract business, which includes hotels.
This season it introduced its collaboration with designer Francesco Rota, who debuted his new Moulage sofa design that features refined details like fabric sculpted into delicate folds. Porro said the firm is well poised for growth in Saudi Arabia, where its contract business and residential projects are both showing positive developments. The company, he said, will focus on increasing staff in the region.
Overall, while the number of Salone del Mobile.Milano’s exhibitors grew and the fair welcomed new international players like Dutch furniture firm Moooi and U.K.-based luxury bed-maker Vispring, the number of visitors declined to 302,548 from 370,824 in 2024.
Much of this was due to the fact that key players like Molteni&C, in addition to B&B Italia, Maxalto, and Roche Bobois, drew the design community to their new showrooms in the center of Milan. Salone del Mobile.Milano organizers said that in light of the tariff situation, participation from Central Asia and Gulf States was encouraging.
“In the aftermath of the announcement of the U.S. tariffs, at a time of maximum international market tension, the 2025 edition of the Salone registered great expectations for new business geographies: Key markets driving demand include the United Arab Emirates, which doubled its attendance, and Saudi Arabia,” Salone del Mobile.Milano organizers said. Japanese attendance rose from 20th to 13th place.
Amid uncertain times, Maria Porro has urged companies to diversify their business. Tasked with exporting the fair abroad, she most recently traveled with Meloni to Saudi Arabia, where she signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Arabian Architecture and Culture Commission, paving the way for a Saudi edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano. A teaser of the Saudi fair will take place in fall 2025, while the actual fair is expected to bow in fall 2026.
The other region that poses significant opportunities for Salone del Mobile.Milano and its constituents is India, where renowned designers, architects and interior designers are taking part in global projects.