With over 1500 exhibitors at the Salone del Mobile, the world's best designers know that their invitations are the first representations of the products they've spent the year refining. Invitations ranged from the elegant to the humorous and this year there was no shortage of artistry in these oversized calling cards. Here are some of our favourites from Milan.
Invitation for Wallpaper* Handmade... in Italy, printed on Japanese washi paper, designed by graphic design and letterpress specialist Kelvyn Smith
A Japanese Cypress luggage freshener from BCXSY
Elegant black and white flip cards from Bottega Veneta
House of Stone preview invitation from John Pawson and Salvatori
Geometric origami from Arketipo
Wood print invitation from Kristiina Lassus, Harri Koskinen, Hannu Kahonen and Anne Kyyro Quinn
Skitsch beckons us to its first birthday party
Newspaper-style invitation from Moncler featuring a collage of comics and clippings from The China Times on the front page
Simplicity from Studio Nitzan Cohen for Mattiazzi
Dizzying stripes for Design Miami and Fendi’s Design Vertigo
Graphic card from Patricia Urquiola and Giulio Ridolfo for BMW, Kvadrat and Flos...
... while embossing adds texture to the invitation inside
ClassiCon celebrated 20 years with a chronologically mapped presentation of their pieces
Laser-cut invitation from Established & Sons...
...while the Established & Sons and Stella McCartney dinner invitation is given special treatment
Illuminating poster for Wonderlamp by Studio Job & Pieke Bergmans
The Boffi invitation comes complete with an ice cube tray
Die-cut layers from Living Divani
Neon orange type from Scholten & Baijings...
... and on the back, a textile leaf on paper
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All-In is the Paris-based label making full-force fashion for main character dressingPart of our monthly Uprising series, Wallpaper* meets Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø of All-In, the LVMH Prize-nominated label which bases its collections on a riotous cast of characters – real and imagined
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Maserati joins forces with Giorgetti for a turbo-charged relationshipAnnouncing their marriage during Milan Design Week, the brands unveiled a collection, a car and a long term commitment
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Through an innovative new training program, Poltrona Frau aims to safeguard Italian craftThe heritage furniture manufacturer is training a new generation of leather artisans
