Milan ' Salone Internazionale del Mobile

As expected, attendance was down at Milan’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile this April following several years of astronomical growth. While still the world’s premiere design event, the sobering times had manufacturers scaling back, and designers looking back. — Josephine Minutillo

Birds of a feather
New York-based designer Dror Benshetrit’s whimsical chair design for Cappellini caught plenty of attention. Fittingly called Peacock, a colorful plume of softly pleated felt comprises the seat and backrest, concealing a metal base. Cappellini, New York City. www.cappellini.it

[Reader Service: July 2009 #217]

Quilting bee
The British upstart Established & Sons has recently begun working with non-British designers — among them, French phenoms Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. Mathematical in design, the Quilt chair and sofa are upholstered with a honeycomb-like skin of high-tech stretch fabric with individual foam inserts, fitted over a fiberglass shell. Moss, New York City. www.establishedandsons.com

[Reader Service: July 2009 #218]

Taking root
After four years of intensive collaboration with designer siblings Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Vitra introduced Vegetal, an indoor/outdoor stacking chair inspired by nature. Made from die-cast, fiber-reinforced polyamide, the organic, branch-like structures form a smooth, round seating shell, while their ribbed underside provides support. Vitra, New York City. www.vitra.com

[Reader Service: July 2009 #219]

Chubby chair
The squat proportions and curious shape of Archibald, designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poltrona Frau, make it an appealing and comfortable armchair. Generous polyurethane foam padding surrounds the steel frame of the backrest and seat. A matching ottoman is available, all upholstered in leather from the company’s Pelle Frau collection. Poltrona Frau, New York City. www.frauusa.com

[Reader Service: July 2009 #220]

Web of light
The Dutch line Moooi continues to work with up-and-coming designers. Raimond Puts is one such designer, though he doesn’t fit the profile — while most are just out of design school, Puts is approaching retirement age. But his sparkling light fixture, containing hundreds of LED’s on a stainless steel web, caught Moooi’s eye. Called Raimond, the hanging fixture comes as a sphere or ellipse in a variety of sizes. B&B Italia/Moooi, New York City. www.moooi.com

[Reader Service: July 2009 #221]

Josephine Minutillo has been a contributor to Architectural Record since 2001. After practicing architecture for several years in New York City, she turned her attention full time to writing, joining the staff of RECORD as Senior Editor in 2008. In her current role as Features Editor, she reports on major building projects, exhibitions, and design innovation. Her articles have also appeared in Interior Design, Mark, Frame, Surface, Azure, Whitewall, Interni, Monument and Encyclopedia Britannica, and she was previously a Contributing Editor to Architectural Digest. She has been an invited critic at Washington University in St. Louis, The Cooper Union, Columbia GSAPP, Pratt Institute, The City College of New York, and Yale University.