Milan 2o13: Dutch brand Moooi presented their Unexpected Welcome collection among giant portraits and undressed manequins in Milan's Tortona district last week (+ slideshow).

Arranged in small room layouts within a large warehouse, the display featured furniture and products such as lamps formed from upside-down buckets and bathtubs by Belgain artists Studio Job, and a family of red tables by Chinese designers Neri&Hu.

Portraits and images by Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf were blown up to divide the space and provide backdrops for the products.

The dark space was illuminated by a range of table, floor and pendent lamps from the collection and a small number of spotlights mounted on rigs that criss-crossed the beams in the former industrial space.

Black, cream and orange manequins sporting no clothing could be spotted standing by furniture or reclining on chairs.

The Frame Moooi award winner, a compact furniture production line designed by Design Academy Eindhoven alumni, was announced in the space on 10 April.

Before the collection was unveiled in Milan, Moooi sent us a set of product sketches by the designers that contributed to the collection.

Moooi's Unexpected Welcome was located in the Tortona district, not far from where Dezeen set up a video studio in the MINI Paceman Garage as part of our Dezeen and MINI World Tour.

Photography is by Valentina Zanobelli.

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Moooi sent us the following information:

Find your way home to Moooi’s ‘unexpected welcome’ at via Savona 56

On occasion of the 52nd edition of the Salone del Mobile, Moooi has prepared an entire collection of refreshing new designs and surprising experiences that will be revealed at an unexpected location: via Savona 56. From the 8th to the 14th of April Moooi is taking up residence in the imposing space of 1.700 m2 and transforming it into a stylish assembly of colourful living quarters, new product displays, lounges, an artistic exhibition, along with the Frame Moooi award nominees exposition, panel discussion, exclusive ceremony and VIP cocktail evening.

Moooi’s biggest gift to the public is to reveal how a wide empty space can be magically transformed into several iconic, rich and colourfully dressed living quarters. This assortment of interior environments is decorated with an inspiring variety of patterns and colours to embrace any kind of space and make people of different ages, cultures and personalities fall in love with their homes. Of course Moooi will make sure to dress and accessorise all the interior sets with an irresistible blend of exquisite richness, nurturing warmth and colourful playfulness.

The living quarters will be furnished with items from the current collection & many new, exciting creations by Marcel Wanders, Studio Job, Joost van Bleiswijk, Edward van Vliet, Neri & Hu, Nika Zupanc, Moooi Works/Bart Schilder, Bertjan Pot, Raimond Puts, Lorenza Bozzoli and ZMIK (Mattias Mohr & Rolf Indermuhle). You are welcome to enjoy, amongst others, the artistic temperament and intimate nature of Marcel Wanders’ Canvas, Zliq and Cloud sofas, the retro atmospheres of Nika Zupanc’s Golden Chair and the sophisticated brightness of ZMIK’s Kroon chandeliers. Take some time to walk around and study the high-stream inventiveness of Joost van Bleiswijk’s Construction lamps, the pragmatic playfulness of Studio Job’s Bucket & Tub lamps and the graceful symbolism of Lorenza Bozzoli’s Juuyo lamps.

The new designs can also be admired and observed in detail along an extensive ‘catwalk’ presentation, in which they ‘pose’ individually to share their pristine beauty with the public. This unexpected home vision brings to life a whole world of new ideas and inspiring settings to brighten up daily life with a touch of magic. It represents a place where visions converge and where every traveller can stop to admire the perfect eclectic mix of culture & experiences that make a home environment more beautiful and unique.

Celebrating the successful cooperation and friendship between two highly creative souls, Marcel Wanders has asked renowned photographer Erwin Olaf to join the Moooi presentation with a grand selection of photographs from his personal work. Interior design meets artistic photography and they connect, creating the perfect balance between two inspiring, stylish and playful realities. The photographs unfold their stories and feelings on a large scale, reaching a stunning height of 4,5 meters especially for this exhibition.

Admiring them feels like stepping into a world of exceptional sophistication, permeated with the sharp intensity of human emotions and enveloped in a dreamy haze of subtle tension. Although cleverly concealed, their hidden stories instinctively appeal and connect to our deepest sense of being, revealing the strong frailty of the human spirit. Erwin Olaf has chosen to challenge the public with pieces for his series Grief, Fall, Keyhole and Berlin which respectively challenge everyday notions, dwell on sensations of shame & guilt, or show the transcendent relation between people in a different light. A real must-see during the Salone del Mobile!

Especially for this occasion the Moooi presentation will be inhabited and characterized by a number of colourful mannequins by Hans Boodt. Combining 25 years of experience in visual merchandizing, creativity and know-how, the world-famous, high-quality mannequins of Hans Boodt never fail to make a great impression with their strong charisma. They will make themselves at home at Moooi’s presentation, bringing an extra feeling of intimacy to the living quarters and resembling peoples’ personality, style & taste. Real and surreal at the same time!

This year the exclusive Frame Moooi Award ceremony, VIP cocktail evening and panel discussion will also take place in via Savona 56. On the 10th of April a selected crowd of design professionals is invited to attend a unique cocktail evening dedicated to the celebration of creativity and design. Jana Scholze (Curator of Contemporary Furniture at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum) will crown the winner, who will receive a tempting award of €25,000. Detailed information on the 10 shortlisted designs will be available throughout the entire week of the Salone on artistic, informative panels at via Savona 56.

Are you looking for inspiration? Would you like to admire all these creations with your own eyes? Then take a break and find your way home to Moooi’s Unexpected Welcome in via Savona 56!