On the eve of the relaunch of the trade fair sector and with the new edition of Homi- Il salone degli stili di vita scheduled for September (from the 5th to the 8th) take place simultaneously with Milan Design Week, it is time to hear the voices of the buyers who represent the protagonists of the segment, ready to discover all the novelties that the event has in store for them.

What are the expectations and needs of the national and international visitors who have already confirmed their presence at the fair?

“Design content is becoming more and more of the priority in a purchasing logic that is also focused on creating long-term loyalty with suppliers, with whom a lasting relationship of trust is established and also includes innovation, quality and brand awareness," says Mohammad Al Thuwaini, owner of A2Z Home Store Co in Kuwait. Partnerships are really the added value to create effective networking that involves the entire supply chain and that, as demonstrated in the difficult period of the pandemic, can create that network of solidarity from which everyone can benefit. “

And if the trend shows how the home is becoming increasingly the heart of everyday life, both private and professional, and the fluidity of the boundaries between at home and outside the home is now well established, buyer searches in this direction are further proof: regardless of the product category, what counts is increasingly the creative factor, which guides product selection even when there is no established brand. On the contrary, some buyers reveal a clear preference for emerging designers, as stated by Stéphane Sibony from Home Autour du Monde, and for products that have stories to tell and are not limited only to their exterior content. It is in this sense that the sustainable soul of what one buys becomes even more important because it involves a full approach of which the end customer is increasingly aware and that is sought after at the time of purchase.

Obviously this is without neglecting the value of Made in Italy that can always make the difference in terms of craftsmanship and excellence, both abroad and in Italy, as explained by Marina La Barbera, owner of Suite Store in Palermo, whose choice has always focused on the emotional content of the items, also in relation to the context where she sees them placed.

It is from this point of view that the network of relationships that only an in-person exhibition such as HOMI Il Salone degli Stili di Vita can offer becomes even more important because it allows both to resume contacts "quarantined" by the pandemic, and to create new partnerships to choose according to the different needs.