Dezeen launches Virtual Milan to replace Salone del Mobile

Dezeen, an authoritative online magazine in architecture and design, announced the creation of Virtual Milan, a digital platform to replace the physical Salone del Mobile, which was postponed from April to June 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The platform will run from April 20 to 24, featuring a program of talks, designer interviews, and new product launches in streaming. The initiative has sparked controversy among Italian design professionals, who see it as a commercial operation exploiting Italy's weakness and a British attempt to rival Milan's design week. Critics, including Fuorisalone district coordinators, note the lack of collaboration with local entities and call for shared solutions. The proposal comes as the design sector experiments with virtual alternatives, following Giorgio Armani's streaming fashion show. Uncertainty remains about the success of Virtual Milan, though Dezeen claims support from several brands.