In her most recent book Design Super Show, Gisella Borioli describes how she turned Superstudio into the forefront of contemporary design trends, by following it throughout their evolution. In person, she discusses pre and post-pandemic design and how the pandemic compelled many to rethink their way to approach design...

If someone had asked me two years ago, "where is design going?", I would probably have answered differently. I would have mentioned a frantic, eclectic, fun, trendy, using basic and essential furniture version, designed by renowned architects (like Lissoni, Jasper Morrison, for instance). As well, sided by other designers who stood against the current on the edge of kitsch (think of Philip Starck's dwarfs for Kartell), antropomorphic (like the Nemo chair by Fabio Novembre for Driade), animal-like (Mooi's horse lamp, Stefano Giovannoni's monkey lamp), ironic and iconoclastic objects (Mendini's Proust chair for Cappellini)...

In her most recent book Design Super Show, Gisella Borioli describes how she turned Superstudio into the forefront of contemporary design trends, by following it throughout their evolution. In person, she discusses pre and post-pandemic design and how the pandemic compelled many to rethink their way to approach design.

If someone had asked me two years ago, "where is design going?", I would probably have answered differently. I would have mentioned a frantic, eclectic, fun, trendy, using basic and essential furniture version, designed by renowned architects (like Lissoni, Jasper Morrison, for instance). As well, sided by other designers who stood against the current on the edge of kitsch (think of Philip Starck's dwarfs for Kartell), antropomorphic (like the Nemo chair by Fabio Novembre for Driade), animal-like (Mooi's horse lamp, Stefano Giovannoni's monkey lamp), ironic and iconoclastic objects (Mendini's Proust chair for Cappellini) or a holiday souvenir and ethnic objects in an enjoyable mix of our global and travelling lives. Transparent plastic in our living rooms descended from the Olympus of Kartell to the products of the fast design. While Ikea was introducing democratic design that doesn't disfigure next to the elite design, the internet was rapidly approaching. Lofts became the dream of creative Italians, or assumed to be so...
  Over the past twenty years, design power has become an alibi to make everyday objects with a specific purpose more desirable: this is when the architects started to sign and add value to pots (Patricia Urquiola), toothbrushes (Philip Starck), anti-rain boots (Jean Nouvel), luggage and trolleys (Marcel Wanders), and even a lift (Marco Piva). Plastic materials made metamorphic and renamed after more intriguing names are still ruling at full blast, as new technology reveals new possibilities and a nouvelle vague of sustainability slowly creeps into production.
  During the pandemic, things came to a halt. It was an invaluable lesson. As a society, we were forced to consider our true values, the needs of our world, a different and a more circular economy, along with the realisation of our responibilites. Home is now "cozy" again: a protective cocoon that welcomes and protects. Trends in furniture include more wood and softness, more nature and recycling, more solutions and hybrid as well as changing furniture, more outdoor and simplicity. More space was accorded to new designers, niche productions, authorial craftmanship, art-design, makers, and objects about other stories. Good design is just around the corner.
  With high anticipation we are looking forward to June Milan Design Week to discover new harmonies, an updated vision of the future, international horizons, in the hope that the war on course will not drop bombs on the world of production and economy as well. Indeed, it is no coincidence that the next Superdesign Show at Superstudio Più is titled LOOKING AHEAD.