B&B Italia returns to Salone del Mobile 2026 after twenty-five years, presenting a new direction shaped through products, collaborations, and collection developments. The brand introduces work by Ronan Bouroullec and Jasper Morrison, alongside contributions from Antonio Citterio, Vincent Van Duysen, and Michael Anastassiades. The presentation also includes the reissue of Richard Sapper’s Nena armchair and a limited edition of Luigi Caccia Dominioni’s Catilina chairs.
MILAN DESIGN WEEK
The stand, designed by Formafantasma, shifts away from conventional exhibition formats and treats space as a constructed system. The project begins with a direct premise: to place each design at the center of attention. The layout avoids decorative elements and removes visual cues that would situate the objects within a predefined narrative.
The structure suggests a domestic atmosphere through proportion and material. A coffered ceiling introduces a filtered light that spreads evenly across the space, producing a calm and controlled environment. Marble partitions define the layout and establish a clear rhythm, guiding movement while maintaining continuity between areas. The use of wood, marble, and coconut fibre carpets supports this structure, creating a tactile setting that remains restrained in its execution.
Within this environment, the products stand as individual projects rather than components of a larger scene. The stand operates as a quiet architectural frame that supports observation without directing it. Each object holds its position within the system, allowing attention to shift from one piece to another without interruption.
Alongside the Salone presentation, B&B Italia marks its sixtieth anniversary with Before & Beyond, a publication produced by Nova Express. Commissioned by Piero Gandini, CEO of B&B Italia and Executive Chairman of Flos B&B Italia Group, the magazine examines the company’s communication over time. Curated by Gianluigi Ricuperati and Maurizio Cilli, the project explores how visual language, editorial work, and design developed together across decades.
The publication draws from archival material and new commissions, presenting a narrative that moves through different phases of the company’s history. It includes a photographic portfolio by Gigi Cifali, shot at the Novedrate headquarters designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, as well as images from a recent campaign curated by Carina Frey and Stefanie Barth and photographed by Camille Vivier. Interviews with key figures provide further context, outlining the evolution of both product design and communication.
The research extends into a physical exhibition on Via Durini, curated by Ricuperati and designed by Formafantasma. The installation translates the magazine’s content into a spatial format, where archival material and visual references occupy a three-dimensional structure. The exhibition follows a vertical arrangement that reflects the editorial concept, presenting the material as a sequence.
Before & Beyond presents a view of B&B Italia that moves across different periods without relying on a single narrative. It connects projects, campaigns, and experiments through a continuous process of development. From early advertising work to recent campaigns, the material traces how the company has shaped its identity through both design and communication.
