Salone Raritas Brings Collectible Design into Focus at Salone del Mobile 2026
Studio Sabine Marcelis | PLUME ©Saverio Lombardi Vallaur
Among the most talked-about additions to Salone del Mobile 2026 was Salone Raritas: Curated Icons, Unique Objects and Outsider Pieces, a new exhibition platform dedicated to collectible design, limited editions and one-off works. Located in Pavilion 9, the exhibition successfully expanded the fair's offer beyond industrial production, creating a compelling dialogue between craftsmanship, artistic expression and contemporary design culture.
Mouromtsev Design Editions | Job Smeets for Mouromtsev Design Editions – Curated by Maria Cristina Didero ©Saverio Lombardi Vallauri
Curated by Annalisa Rosso, Editorial & Cultural Director and Advisor to Salone del Mobile Milano, with exhibition design by Formafantasma in collaboration with Cleaf, Salone Raritas brought together an international mix of galleries, designers and brands. Rather than presenting collectible design as a separate discipline, the exhibition positioned it within the broader design conversation, exploring how objects can communicate cultural identity, material innovation and creative research.
Max Radford Gallery | Quilted Fragments by Lewis Kemmenoe ©Saverio Lombardi Vallauri
The exhibition showcased an impressive range of participants, from Italian design leaders including NILUFAR, Paradisoterrestre, SERAFINI and MASSIMO LUNARDON EDIZIONI to international galleries such as Side Gallery, Mitterrand Gallery, Mercado Moderno and Max Radford Gallery. Architectural collaborations from Herzog & de Meuron x Marta Sala Éditions and ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS x NEUTRA further demonstrated the growing overlap between architecture, design and collectable objects.
NILUFAR ©Saverio Lombardi Vallauri
One of the exhibition's most striking presentations was PLUME by Sabine Marcelis, a site-specific installation centred around a monolithic poured-resin fountain that explored light, movement and perception through material experimentation. Elsewhere, Mouromtsev Design Editions presented Soft Parade by Job Smeets, a collection that examined the concept of softness as a response to contemporary social and cultural tensions, bringing a playful yet thought-provoking perspective to the exhibition.
Marta Sala Éditions | La Magie du Bois by Herzog & de Meuron
By bringing together established galleries, emerging voices and cross-disciplinary collaborations, Salone Raritas offered a fresh perspective on the evolving collectible design market during Milan Design Week. More than a showcase of rare objects, it provided a thoughtful exploration of where contemporary design sits between art, craftsmanship and production, establishing itself as one of the standout new destinations at Salone del Mobile 2026.
Find more infomation at www.salonemilano.it
Top image - Pav. 9 - Fiera Milano, Rho | Interior ©Saverio Lombardi Vallauri Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026