Milan Diaries: Living In Design at Salone Del Mobile

Just a few weeks ago, we were attending Salone Del Mobile in Milan, only this year, for the first time, we arrived as exhibitors! As representatives for our artisan THESHAW, we had the pleasure of showcasing her signature light-catching pieces within SaloneSatellite, one of the largest trade fairs of its kind, where young designers get to flex their visions for the future.

THESHAW displayed a number of her most sought-after pieces, including some of her earliest works from 2017 - The Sanctuary Collection, as well as more recent musings from her Future Vestige Collection. Every piece has one thing in common, expertly fabricated using stainless steel to capture the light, reflections, and movements of that which surrounds it.

Her works are intended to be a trick of the eye and a peek beyond the looking glass. Shaw Liu is drawn to light because her life has been one that dances so closely with darkness, and she feels it is the best way to hold an honest mirror to ourselves.

Naturally, with such dazzling pieces, exhibition-goers were drawn to the unusual choice of materials and striking silhouettes. The Lost Space Armchair was a particular showstopper — a visually weighty armchair; it was also physically challenging to pack, ship and carry because of its solid steel body. Luckily, we had some help from some strapping builders!

Not only was this exhibition a joyous occasion to mingle amongst great works, but within Living In Design, it was also a milestone. Due to the pandemic, much of our team has been working remotely in different parts of the world since the launch of Living In Design; this was the first time after 2 years that a few of us could enjoy each other's company in the flesh!

Many bottles of prosecco were popped, particularly on the last day, when our row of booth neighbours could all come together and enjoy a toast to a successful event. As one of the handful of Asian artists present at Salone, we were very proud to showcase a different side to Eastern design, one that won't soon be forgotten!

‍