The Milano Design Week 2018 has just calle sit quits, so it is now time for records and final overviews.

Although the prestigious global forum for design turns off the lights and waves us goodbye, our rendezvous is already scheduled for next year – from 9 to 14 April, 2019, to be exact: just pencil down the dates and breathe a sigh of relief.

Gradually turned into an actual lifeline, the Milan’s furniture and design fair has now reached record numbers and, together with VinItaly, stands out as a solid anchor and trigger of optimism at a time of deep national uncertainties.

The final press release illustrates an extremely positive result: the 57th edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano witnessed “huge crowds and business growth”, thus remaining a key, central and buzzing event in the international furniture and design scene.

Check out a few figures: 1,841 exhibitors, 27% of them from 33 other countries, showcased their products at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition, EuroCucina and the International Bathroom Exhibition, plus the 650 designers under 35 featured at SaloneSatellite – three of whom were presented with the SaloneSatellite Award.

The most outstanding result was in terms of attendance: the exhibition pavilions welcomed 434,509 attendees in 6 days from 188 different countries, made for a 17% increase compared to the 2016 edition, which last featured the biennial kitchen and bathroom exhibitions, and an increase of 26% compared with the 2017 edition.

President of the Salone del Mobile Claudio Luti is keen to comment such genuine triumph: “We are extremely proud of the success of this event and of the level of professionals who have come to this edition, proving that the Salone del Mobile is a global benchmark”.

The FuoriSalone ended with a bang as well: over 500,000 people invaded the city to attend the beauty of 1367 events sponsored by the Milano Design Week, while the Fuorisalone.it website got more than 2 million views from 143 world countries.

Coming to the design districts: 5vie and Brera remained two obvious must-visits, and Ventura Projects deserved a good fat peak of 100,000 visitors: Ventura Future (45,000) + Ventura Centrale (55,000).

A major Italian victory indeed, and also a celebration of Milan and its new-found international vocation: the revenue from hotel activities was approximately 38 million euros, with 23,000 manufacturers and 150,000 professionals and members of the trade being actively involved in the initiative.

Two special occasions served to underscore the Salone’s ties with the city of Milan and its strategic partnership with the Municipality of Milan. The Gala Dinner in the Sala delle Cariatidi, which opened Salone week, and the great party at Palazzo Marino, hosted by the Mayor, Giuseppe Sala and conceived by Claudio Luti to celebrate the end of the business event, to which Salone exhibitors and protagonists were invited.

The evening festivities included the presentation of the three Salone del Mobile.Milano Awards of equal merit for outstanding contributions to the world of furnishing and design at this edition. The winners – selected by a jury of professionals – were CC-Tapis, Magis and Sanwa. Maurizio Riva of Riva 1920 was awarded the Special Jury Prize, while the President’s Prize went to the Mayor of Milan, in recognition of his commitment to and collaboration over the event.

Strong of such unprecedented success, Italy can now look straight to the future: "We hope that the success of the Salone del Mobile will act as a further spur for the growth of our companies, which are all set to take on the market challenges with renewed vigour”, said Emanuele Orsini, President of FederlegnoArredo and Federlegno Arredo Eventi, and continues: “This has been an extraordinary edition, that has seen the companies’ efforts to promote the very best Italian design pay off during the most important week of the year”.

As written by Giovanna Mancini on the pages of Sole 24 Ore: “All of them paid a visit to Fiera Rho: Gentiloni, Tajani, Salvini, Di Maio, Martina and Richetti”.

“All the political movers who have visited over the last few days have confirmed their support for the wood-furnishing sector, which is crucial for the growth of this country, and have underscored the need to put industrial organic, effective industrial policies into action; these are crucial for a pillar of Made in Italy which alone accounts for 5% of GDP”, Orsini explained.

Lastly, a final quote from Luti: “The Milano Design Week is a unique event, in which business and culture become the virtual model for an Italy that functions, where the industrial system and the institutions are working in sync towards a common goal”.

“An Italy that functions”: an half hopeful half nostalgic statement that makes us eager for next Salone Internazionale del Mobile.