Italian design stands as a testament to the country’s rich cultural heritage, creativity, and innovation. From fashion to furniture, cars to architecture, Italian designers continue to captivate the world with their timeless sophistication and exquisite craftsmanship, leaving an indelible mark on the global design landscape.
Italian designers prioritize not just how a design looks but how it makes the user feel, creating a deep connection between design and emotion. Looking ahead, Italian design is poised to continue its legacy of excellence in shaping the future of design worldwide.
Making Value of the Inclusiveness, Innovation, and Sustainability
The Ambassador's Message
The Italian Ambassador, H.E. Roberto Colaminè, presents his thoughts about the promotion of Italian design in the rich cultural context of Indonesia. In this perspective the Ambassador leads the action of the Italian Embassy, Trade Commission, and Institute of Culture to raise visibility and appreciation for Italian design, highlighting the shared sensitivity towards nature and culture in the two respective architectural traditions.
As the Ambassador of Italy to Indonesia, I am honoured to celebrate Italian Design Day in Indonesia, continuing the legacy established by my predecessors over the past years. This year, we mark the occasion during Indonesia Design Week, reinforcing our commitment not only to creative excellence but also to the enduring relationship between our two nations.
In a world shaped by rapid change and complex global challenges, the idea of “value” must evolve beyond its traditional economic definition. Today, value is intrinsically linked to how inclusive our societies are, how courageously we innovate, and how responsibly we act towards future generations. This year’s theme for Italian Design Day—“Making Value: Inclusiveness, Innovation, and Sustainability”—invites us to reflect on design as a catalyst for a more equitable, dynamic, and sustainable future.
Italy has long been celebrated for its design excellence across interior and landscape architecture, industrial innovation, fashion, and beyond. This legacy is rooted in our rich cultural heritage and an unwavering dedication to quality. Yet, Italian design is not confined to tradition. It looks forward, embracing sustainable practices, pioneering cutting-edge solutions, and promoting inclusivity. It aspires not only to shape beautiful objects but also to shape a better world—one where no one is left behind, and creativity becomes a means of shared progress.
This vision resonates deeply with Indonesia’s own trajectory. With its rich cultural heritage and burgeoning creative industry, Indonesia embodies values of harmony, community, and respect for nature. These values are reflected in its vernacular architecture and the contemporary interpretations it continues to inspire.
We are proud to stand alongside Indonesia in our shared commitment to cultural dialogue and the transformative power of design. It’s a universal language that bridges tradition with innovation, and heritage with modernity. At the heart of our mission is a mutual dedication to building a more sustainable, inclusive world.
As we look to the future, we must continue to build bridges across cultures, disciplines, and generations. Only through collaboration, empathy, and creativity can we truly “make value”: value that not only drives economic growth but also redefines how we live, connect, and imagine the world. In this context, design becomes more than an artistic expression. It also becomes a powerful force for dialogue and lasting change.
Design for Social Cohesion: An Italy-Indonesia Strategic Partnership
Message from Dr. Paolo Pinto
Italian Design Day 2025, centered on the theme “Inequalities: Design for a Better Life,” marks a pivotal moment to explore the profound synergies between Italy’s design heritage and Indonesia’s dynamic future. It is not simply a celebration, but a strategic opportunity for collaboration, recognizing design as a vital tool for social progress and reducing inequality.
Indonesia, in its rapid urbanization, faces significant challenges related to inequality, from the management of informal settlements to the need for affordable housing. In this context, Italy, renowned for its “democratic design” that makes beauty and functionality accessible to many, offers valuable insights. Italy’s commitment to sustainable urban planning and the integration of modern needs into historic sites is a relevant model, as also highlighted by the upcoming Milan Triennale, which focuses on “the fractures of humanity.”
Indonesia, with its rich cultural diversity, brings a complementary perspective. Its designers often adopt community-based approaches, using local materials and adapting traditional methods to contemporary challenges. This bottom-up approach, rooted in local wisdom, provides effective models for equitable development. This Italian Design Day is a strategic opportunity for constructive exchange.
Italy’s experience in producing affordable housing solutions and inclusive urban planning can significantly benefit Indonesian development. Conversely, Indonesian experiences in community engagement and designing in complex urban contexts can offer new perspectives to Italian professionals. Collaboration can extend to joint research and pilot projects in “social design,” aimed at developing solutions that are truly “made for life”: accessible, sustainable, and a source of inspiration for all.
The application of the principles of the circular economy, valued by both nations, will further strengthen this synergy. The common goal of “Inequalities: Design for a Better Life” is a shared imperative. It urges us to recognize that every design decision has a social impact. By combining the expertise of Italian and Indonesian design, guided by a shared commitment to human dignity, we can aspire to build environments that not only enrich but also help reduce the barriers of inequality, promoting a more equitable and prosperous future.
Celebrating Italian Design Day 2025: A Bridge of Innovation, Culture, and Creativity
Maria Battaglia, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta, continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening cultural ties between Italy and Indonesia. This year, Italian Design Day (IDD) is celebrated in conjunction with Indonesia Design Week, with Indonesia Design appointed as one of its strategic media partners. The occasion takes on added significance with the visit of the iconic Marva Griffin Wilshire, founder of SaloneSatellite in Milan. Her presence, along with showcases of Italian design brands and products, reinforces the bridge of culture and creativity that unites the two nations.
Every year, the Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Trade Agency, proudly presents Italian Design Day (IDD). It’s a global initiative that celebrates Italy’s unparalleled legacy in design, architecture, and the creative industries. Since its launch in 2017, IDD has become a key moment to explore the intersection of design, culture, and sustainability while fostering meaningful international dialogue.
Italian Design Day is more than a celebration. It is a mission. Guided by the Direzione Generale Sistema Paese of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, each edition is built around a specific theme that spotlight innovation, heritage, and social impact in the design world. These themes invite participating countries to engage professionals, educators, and the wider public in thoughtful discussions about the role of design in shaping a better future.
Over the years, IDD has addressed thought-provoking themes such as Drawing the Future, Project and Materials: New Challenges for the Sustainable Recovery of Made in Italy, Re-Generation: Design and New Technologies for a Sustainable Future, The Quality That Lights Up, and Manufacturing Value: Inclusiveness, Innovation, and Sustainability. The 2025 edition is themed Inequalities: Design for a Better Life, calling for reflection on how design can help reduce disparities and improve quality of life for all.
Indonesia has been a passionate and consistent participant in IDD since its inception. We’ve had the honour of hosting distinguished Italian design ambassadors such as Raffaella Mangiarotti, Francesco Librizzi, Francesco Faccin, Francesco Lucchese, Carlo Colombo, Mauro Panzeri, Odo Fioravanti, Assia Karaguiozova, and Carlo Branzaglia. All activities are carried out in close collaboration with Indonesian partners, designers, artists, and students to foster mutual exchange and lasting impact.
Beyond the annual IDD celebration, the Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta remains deeply committed to promoting Italian design throughout the year. Past initiatives have included exhibitions such as Vico Magistretti, Created in Italy, and Fabrica. Our ongoing partnerships with ICAD (Indonesia Contemporary Art and Design) have brought Italian experts to Indonesia, organized design film screenings in collaboration with the Milano Design Film Festival, and presented thematic exhibitions to broader audiences.
This year, we are especially honoured to welcome Marva Griffin Wilshire as the Italian Design Day ambassador to Indonesia. As the founder and curator of SaloneSatellite, she is globally recognized as a mentor to young talents and a visionary in contemporary design.
With that, we warmly invite all design enthusiasts to join us in this inspiring journey of creativity, innovation, and cultural dialogue.
Salone del Mobile.Milano: Design as a Bridge Between Cultures
The Salone del Mobile.Milano is the world’s most influential design platform and a place of connection. Over the course of six days, more than 300,000 visitors from 151 countries navigate through over 2,100 exhibitors, immerse themselves in evocative installations, and engage in talks and cultural forums. It is where business meets thought, beauty meets industry, and vision meets matter.
Above all, the Salone is a meeting ground for cultures. It has always served as a bridge between North and South, East and West, between cutting-edge technology and ancient knowledge, and between design schools and individual visions. Here, design becomes a shared language.
The 2025 edition reaffirmed this power with striking clarity. Consider the major artistic installations that complemented the exhibition format, both at the fair and across the city. Library of Light by Es Devlin, who is British stage designer and artist renowned for her monumental public works, transformed the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan’s main public painting gallery, into a living organism composed of 3,000 books.
Meanwhile, Mother by Robert Wilson, the American avant-garde theatre director, visual artist, and playwright, offered an immersive installation at the Sforza Castle. Through sound, light, and imagery, Wilson redefined spatial perception, demonstrating how design can touch both the personal and the collective.
Within the fairgrounds, Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino presented La Dolce Attesa, a theatrical “waiting room” that explored suspended time as a space between longing and fate. Equally compelling was Villa Héritage, designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon, the French interior designer and architect of luxury hospitality.
The Salone also created new spaces for reflection. Euroluce. It’s the biennial dedicated to lighting, hosted, for the first time, the International Lighting Forum.
At the heart of the event, SaloneSatellite showcased the work of 700 designers under the age of 35, selected from 20 countries. This year’s theme, New Craft: A New World, highlighted how handcrafting techniques, local materials, and cultural traditions are becoming vital tools for reimagining design.
In a world increasingly at risk of cultural simplification, the Salone champions the value of complexity. Design is not just about form. Equally important, it is a way of being in the world, of building relationships, of transforming matter into meaning. From Seoul to São Paulo, from Cape Town to Stockholm, a shared vocabulary is born. It’s the one that does not erase differences but celebrates them. A vocabulary composed of objects, spaces, lights, colours, materials, and experiences.
Today, the Salone del Mobile.Milano stands as a global platform where design becomes a bridge between people, between worlds, and between possible futures.