It has been 10 years since Milano Salone.

Milano Salone de Mobile has started today. It is the biggest and most important design event in the world. It takes place every April in Milan.

It has been 10 years since I exhibited at Salone Satellite in Milano Salone de Mobile. It was my second time to exhibit, and my first time was in year 2001. Many things have happened in this last 10 years, and many things have changed.

I haven´t been to Salone for the last 6 years… I don´t see people, designers I used to see every year in Milan any more. And it is sad, but 10 years is a very long time. There were very little Japanese designers and Japanese visitors back then, but there are full of Japanese designers, visitors and Japanese companies all over Milan today. The media on the internet wasn´t so popular back then, and it was all about to be on design magazines. It was pretty difficult to be featured in the magazines. And It was great deal to be there and get interviewed by magazines, or to be lucky enough to talk with design brands, companies from all over the world. And those chances were all about that young designers at Salone Satellite were looking after.

I was lucky enough to get sponsored by FORMICA to cover the most of my expenses. Thanks to FORMICA, I was staying hotel 1 hour by bus from the center of Milan for the second time. I slept on couch of my friend´s friend. Everything becomes so expensive around Salone time in Milan. I took a train for 24 hours from Barcelona to Milan because I was so poor to go by air, and I lost almost 7 kg in one week while I was in Milan…

I made all of my prototypes by myself and I was very happy with them. I used panel materials from FORMICA to make my pieces of furniture. And the floor of the stand was even by FORMICA material. It was very expensive stand…

My designs were featured in many design magazines in many different countries. And I was even featured in The Financial Times! I thought my poor life is over… but life isn´t so easy…

From my experiences being in Milano Salone de Mobile twice, I started my own brand, DesignCode to do any designs I want to, and produce them by myself without being affected by others.

My challenge has been still on since then… And I see it is still going on for a long time. Well, that is what I want and I am happy about it!

It was a very long 10 years with many events, and looking forward for the next 10 years!