Spanish furniture brands enjoyed success at the Salone del Mobile.Milano Moscow 2019

The 15^th edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano Moscow at the Crocus Expo, which was held in Moscow from 9^th to 12^th October, has helped to set a mood of renewed optimism for the future of trade with the Russian market. The more than 240 exhibitors, on display in halls 7 and 8, exceeded expectations for the high quality of their offer which includes from furnishings to upholstered furniture, lighting fixtures, kitchens, office furniture, accessories, bathroom furniture, textiles for home and contract use.

Photo: Courtesy Salone del Mobile.Milano

Fuelled by the good results of the previous Moscow Salone, the 2019 edition has managed to reactivate and stimulate the Russian market by recreating in Moscow the powerful exhibition experience of Milan focused on the very best manufacturing quality, innovation and impeccable staging.

This way, the event has reasserted its position as the benchmark exhibition for those trade operators, professionals, medias, fans, millennials and everyone who is constantly on the lookout for new products and solutions that balance design, planning and lifestyle.

Photo: Courtesy Salone del Mobile.Milano

The offer of the 202 Italian exhibitors was complemented and enriched by the presence of companies from the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Switzerland that contribute to reinforce the global vocation of the Salone exhibition project.

Photo: Courtesy Salone del Mobile.Milano

Exposure to Russian buyers was high, with more than 19,000 professional visitors attending the fair, attracted not just by the wide array of products but also by the opportunity to meet the key players of the global interior design industry.

Spain, which over the years has developed strong trade links with the Russian interior design industry, was represented by 6 furniture and lighting companies that showcased in Moscow a selection of their latest proposals for both exclusive and contemporary environments.

Photo: Courtesy Salone del Mobile.Milano

A specialist in designer clocks for home and contract use, NOMON presented in Moscow a selection of its top exhibits from the Milan Salone: the ANDA GOLD and DARO ring clocks. Handmade in Barcelona, with a technique that combines artisan processes and innovation, all NOMON’s clock collections are recognizable at first glance for their refined aesthetic and the use of noble materials treated with jewellery standards in their finishes and presentation.

NOMON’s stand at the Salone del Mobile.Milano Moscow 2019

The new NOMON HOME catalogue, which includes a new generation of high-end occasional furniture, was represented by the W VALET STAND and the MIRROR, small exclusive objects that generate a luxurious experience based on the beauty of simple, well-crafted things.

W valet stand. MOMENTOS Collection. NOMON HOME

The firm took advantage of the Moscow Salone to inaugurate its first Russian showroom in one of the most thriving artistic districts in Moscow. Located inside the Artplay – a design center built in the area of ​​an old abandoned factory that currently houses different art galleries, more than 300 architecture studios and a design school – the new showroom offers to Russian interior designers and customers a perfect vision of the exclusive NOMON’s decorative concepts.

NOMON ARTPLAY. Nizhnyaya Syromyatnicheskaya Ulitsa, д. 10, стр. 5, Moscow. Rusia, 105120

Spanish haute décor was represented in Moscow by HURTADO, the high-end furniture specialist that for almost 80 years has been filling homes with fine, quality furniture, 100% made in Spain. The firm, which has a global presence, exhibited at the Moscow Salone some of its latest proposals for exclusive homes, including the SANTA BARBARA living and dining room furniture displayed in two different attractive finishes, both highlighting the beauty of the noble materials used and the impeccable craftsmanship that go into their products.

HURTADO’s high-end furniture. Salone del Mobile.Milano Moscow 2019

For more classical atmospheres, the firm presented the TRIANON dining room and some occasional pieces made of oak and maple wood.

HURTADO occasional pieces. Stand in Moscow. 2019

With a long-term and active presence in the Russian market, PANAMAR was back with some proposals for dining rooms and entrance halls focused on the best relationship price-quality. All its furniture, which is made of solid wood finished with the best veneers and lacquers (cherry, walnut, oak, white), is embellished by refined moulding and carvings and is hand polished to accentuate the beauty of wood.

The traditional furniture from PANAMAR on display at the Salone del Mobile.Milano Moscow 2019

The Spanish offer was completed by the attractive lounge furniture by LATORRE, the classical furniture from DECORARCHER and the contemporary lighting products by LEDS C4.

Although the Russian market is far from 2017 heyday, within the last two years, the increased fiscal stimulus and a more accommodative monetary policy have resulted in some tentative signs of recovery. On the other hand, the continued threat of sanctions, volatile commodity prices and trade wars threaten the outlook and could worsen the local economic backdrop.

Photo: Courtesy Salone del Mobile.Milano

Spain used to be one of the main suppliers of the Russian furniture market; nevertheless, Russia’s imports have dropped since 2013, positioning Russia 19^th in the ranking of 2018 main destination markets for Spanish furniture. The area with the greatest interest in foreign products remains concentrated in the high-end market segment, although the taste of the Russian consumers has shifted towards more contemporary furnishing solutions according to the demand of new generations. At commercial level, this may involve a change of strategy by the Spanish brands with the penetration of new companies and the adaptation of the consolidated ones to new demands of both the audience and the distributors.

Photo: Courtesy Salone del Mobile.Milano

Opportunities in the medium ad upper-medium segments are rather narrow as it’s a sector of very high competition where China is increasingly consolidating its position as main supplier.

All in all, with a population estimated at 145.87 million people and considering the potential of the country, Russia should be taken into account in expectation that furniture imports from Spain will see signs of recovery. According to a FLA report, a particularly positive phenomenon is the steady increase in the number of architects and interior designers active in Russia, along with a greater spread of national and international information and trends, which form and influence an increasingly demanding public.