Last spring, I was sitting in a quiet Milanese courtyard with a Negroni Sbagliato, watching the late afternoon light stretch across worn stone. Next to me, a designer sketched furiously. “It’s either genius or a logistical nightmare,” they muttered as their friend glanced up from a cigarette, unimpressed. It wasn’t part of the official program, but that’s how Milan Design Week works—the best moments happen between the scheduled ones, on side streets and spontaneous conversations, in places that don’t need a star-studded guestlist to matter. To navigate the week well is to accept that you will miss more than you see. The trick is knowing where to linger and when to leave. The usual landmarks of good design—Salone’s sprawling halls, the impossibly chic showrooms in Brera—are just the starting point. But the real Milan is in the details: the perfect curve of a 1930s door handle, the way a terrazzo floor catches the afternoon light, the effortless precision of a well-set table. The city’s offerings aren’t always on the schedule. It might require being pulled into a side-street atelier by an octogenarian craftsman who still believes in making things by hand. It’s the dinner that starts with an apéritivo at Bar Basso and somehow ends at a private palazzo, arguing about Gio Ponti with a stranger. This guide isn’t about hitting every marquee event; it’s about knowing which ones are actually worth your time—and leaving space for the beautiful, unscripted moments that make Milan, Milan. Consider this your map to the week’s musts: the exhibitions worth the detour, the booths worth a second look, and the installations that will stay with you long after the dreaded flight home. L'Appartamento by Artemest Palazzo Donizetti, L'Appartamento by Artemest To mark its 10th anniversary, Artemest returns with the third edition of L’Appartamento, a celebration of Italian craftsmanship staged within the opulent interiors of Palazzo Donizetti—normally reserved as the private showroom of Alberta Ferretti. Six internationally acclaimed interior designers —including Brigette Romanek, Champalimaud, and Meyer Davis—each take over a room of the palazzo, curating bespoke environments with handcrafted pieces from over 180 Italian artisans. This rare glimpse into a private 19th-century residence is a richly layered experience where historical grandeur meets modern design. Palazzo Donizetti, Via Gaetano Donizetti | April 8-13, 2025 NILUFAr SILVER LINING SUPAFORM CHAIR Filippo Pincolini For Milan Design Week, Nilufar presents Repertorio, a five-act exhibition that transforms its spaces into a theatrical exploration of materiality, time, and craft. Under Nina Yashar’s curatorship, the journey begins with Silver Lining, a tribute to metal’s strength and memory, and moves through Amber Echoes, an intimate study of warm-toned materials. Nilufar Edition unveils the gallery’s latest collectible designs, while George Nakashima celebrates the poetic spirituality of wood. The final act, Ex Terrā, reflects on nature’s enduring influence on design. With scenographic installations, rare vintage pieces, and contemporary works from leading and emerging designers, Repertorio blurs the lines between past and future, art and function, permanence and transformation. Multiple locations | April 8–13, 2025 Alcova Villa Borsani Piergiorgio Sorgetti For its ninth edition, ALCOVA expands its reach across four extraordinary locations in Varedo, deepening its exploration of space, history, and design. Alongside the modernist masterpiece Villa Borsani and the grand Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, this year introduces the Pasino Glasshouses—once home to one of Europe’s largest white orchid cultivations—and the former SNIA Factory, a vast industrial relic softened by time and nature. Each site offers a distinct atmosphere, guiding visitors through an immersive journey of site-specific installations and experimental exhibitions that push the boundaries of contemporary design. A fixture since 2018, Alcova remains a platform for those redefining how we live, create, and interact with the spaces around us. Multiple locations | April 7-13, 2025 VERO, FEDERICA ELMO GLUP COLLECTION, MARINE BLUE CENTERPIECES Matteo Bianchessi Vero returns to Milan Design Week with a new collaboration featuring Italian designer Federica Elmo, bringing her signature material experimentation and sculptural forms into the brand’s ever-growing universe. This year’s showcase reactivates the space at Via Felice Casati, turning it into a meeting ground for designers, collectors, and the aesthetically-curious. Expect a blend of contemporary Italian craftsmanship and radicalism, where unexpected textures and bold silhouettes redefine the boundaries of functional design. Via Felice Casati, 3 | April 8-13, 2025 Cassina Le Corbusier®, Pierre Jeanneret®, Charlotte Perriand® Collection, 60, limited editions in time – Cassina iMaestri Marking 60 years of producing the Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Collection, Cassina stages a bold intervention at Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber conceived by Formafantasma. More than a retrospective, the installation interrogates the tension between Modernist ideals and today’s ecological realities, moving beyond industrial rationalism toward a wilder, more organic future. A fully immersive experience unfolds throughout the week, with a performance directed by Fabio Cherstich, featuring commissioned texts by Emanuele Coccia, Andrés Jaque, and Feifei Zhou—challenging how we see, inhabit, and evolve within the legacy of design. Via Larga, 14, | April 7–13, 2025 REDDUO Jug and Mug Giulio Ghirardi REdDUO, the brainchild of Fabiola Di Virgilio and Andrea Rosso, lands in Porta Venezia, embedding itself in Milan’s most vibrant creative neighborhood. The project—part gallery, part laboratory—celebrates Italian heritage through meticulously crafted ceramics, textiles and homeware. This pop-up presence is a prelude to Casa REdDUO, the duo’s future permanent residence and studio, where their vision of design as a living, breathing dialogue between past and present will take full shape. Porta Venezia, Milan | By appointment only | April 8-13, 2025 Casa Cabana Living Room Guido Taroni Cabana’s Atlas of Craftsmanship launches with Speak, Memory, a deeply personal exhibition co-curated by Martina Mondadori and Deborah Needleman. Hosted inside Mondadori’s family home, designed by Renzo Mongiardino and open to the public for the first time, the show features works by Peter Schlesinger, Bode, and Green River Project, among others. The exhibit, much like the Atlas itself, is a love letter to the artisans who keep the world’s rarest traditions alive. Casa Cabana | April 9–11, 2025 | Booking opens March 29 here RANIERI PRIMA COLLECTION Alberto Strada Ranieri’s Under the Volcano is a multi-sensory exploration of volcanic energy, unfolding within the raw industrial setting of the SNIA Factory. The artist Quayola’s algorithmically sculpted rock formations mimic the forces of erosion, while Rodrigo D’Erasmo’s soundscape captures the deep rumble of molten earth. Towering structures by Francesco Meda and David Lopez Quincoces, clad in volcanic stone, rise like monuments to nature’s primal force. The result is an arresting collision of art, science, and architecture—an homage to the earth’s most powerful sculptor. Alcova, ex SNIA Factory, 20814, Varedo | April 7–13, 2025 Gufram Drocco Mello Boring Cactus Courtesy of Gufram Gufram remains Milan’s reigning provocateur, presenting new icons that merge irreverence with design history. This year, Cinzia Ruggeri’s Mano, a sculptural seat, takes center stage, alongside Snarkitecture’s Eroded Mirror, a reflection on time and materiality. Meanwhile, the Boring Cactus® by Drocco and Mello makes its debut in an ironically nondescript gray—a cheeky nod to the tension between mass appeal and artistic subversion. Expect the unexpected, wrapped in Gufram’s signature playfulness. Salone del Mobile, Fiera Milano, Rho, Stand 22P/B30 | April 9–13, 202 Buccellati Naturalia Buccellati’s Naturalia, curated by Balich Wonder Studio, transforms silver into a living landscape. Soundscapes and botanical installations by Mary Lennox Studio set the stage for a collection where craftsmanship meets nature, including the celebrated Furry Animals series, which captures the delicate textures of fur and feathers in precious metal. The exhibit also showcases Buccellati’s historic engraving techniques, modellato and ornato, demonstrating the house’s commitment to preserving time-honored artistry while continuously evolving. Piazza Tomasi di Lampedusa, Milan | April 8–13, 2025 Google Design Studio Lachlan Turczan Google Design Studio, led by Ivy Ross, partners with light and water artist Lachlan Turczan to explore how design materializes the unseen. At Garage 21, Making the Invisible Visible transforms intangible ideas into immersive experiences, blending luminous sculptures with Google’s latest hardware innovations. A meditation on perception, this exhibition reveals how form, function, and imagination can converge to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Garage 21, Via Archimede, 26 | April 8–13, 2025 Fornasetti Desk Clocks Fornasetti plays with scale and surrealism, shrinking the grandeur of 16th-century architecture and celestial maps into everyday objects. A rediscovered design from Piero Fornasetti’s Lake Como villa finds new life on a brass-framed clock, while the iconic Tema e Variazioni face makes an ethereal appearance on a series of hand-printed plates, capturing the moon’s shifting phases. This collection invites you to live among dreams—one exquisite object at a time. Corso Venezia 21/A | April 7-13, 2025 Anglepoise Type 80 Glass Pendant Matte Black 3 After a five-year absence from Milan, Anglepoise returns in full force to celebrate 90 years of design ingenuity. Alongside a limited-edition 1227 lamp, the exhibition debuts the Type 80™ Opal Glass Light, a showcase of streamlined form and soft illumination. Known for blending precision engineering with poetic simplicity, Anglepoise continues to prove that the right light can transform a space—and a mood. Via Statuto, 8 | April 8–13, 2025 SCP Overlap sofa by Terence Woodgate Forty years of design innovation take the spotlight as SCP marks its milestone anniversary with a return to Milan Design Week. The British brand—known for its dedication to sustainability and contemporary craftsmanship—presents a retrospective that highlights key moments in its design history while introducing new works that continue to push the boundaries of modern furniture. With a focus on materials, longevity, and a distinctly British sensibility, SCP shows that good design is about endurance as much as it is aesthetics. Corso di Porta Nuova 44 | April 7 – 13, 2025 Design Hotels STRAF Hotel STRAF Hotel Presented in the lobby of STRAF, Space Between is a dynamic installation by Design Hotels and Universal Design Studio that reimagines the role of hotel lobbies as catalysts for connection. Composed of a custom 16-piece modular system that shifts daily, the space invites interaction—encouraging visitors to pause, sketch, converse, or reflect. Informed by Design Hotels’ Further Forecast – Community Capital report and Universal’s ongoing research on hosting, the project explores how intentional spatial design can nurture micro-communities and redefine hotels as cultural hubs. Talks by Design Anthology UK, The Lobby, and Map Project Office expand the dialogue, turning the installation into a living platform for exchange. Via S. Raffaele, 3 | April 8 – 9, 2025 Courtesy of Fico Fico makes its debut at MoscaPartners Variations within the historic Palazzo Litta. Founded by Rayana Hossain, a Harvard-educated entrepreneur committed to redefining Bangladesh’s design and manufacturing landscape, Fico offers a thoughtful take on high-end furniture. The debut collection—featuring sculptural yet functional pieces, including a side table, armchair, sofa, stools, and screen room dividers—reflects a meticulous balance of artistic expression and everyday usability. Expect a collection where contemporary design meets time-honored techniques, bringing a global sensibility to the future of luxury interiors. Palazzo Litta, Corso Magenta 24 | April 7 – 13, 2025 Zanotta Fedrigo by Vincent Van Duysen Zanotta is back with a reimagined flagship store, setting the stage for a bold new collection. Collaborations with design heavyweights—Vincent Van Duysen, Muller Van Severen, Pierre Charpin, and more—introduce contemporary pieces that nod to the brand’s radical roots. Re-editions of archival gems, like Carlo Mollino’s Milo mirror and Alessandro Mendini’s Cuculia, reaffirm Zanotta’s enduring influence, while a tribute to the Sacco armchair reminds us that true icons never age, they evolve. Zanotta Flagship Store, via Durini 25/27 | April 8 – 13, 2025 ASUS Zenbook DUO ASUS steps beyond the expected with an immersive installation at Galleria Meravigli, where technology meets sculpture in a tactile, interactive showcase. In collaboration with Nassia Inglessis and Studio Ini, the exhibition reconsiders how we engage with tech—not just as a tool, but as an object of beauty and motion. Here, innovation isn’t hidden in circuit boards; it’s felt in shifting proportions, material transformations, and the dialogue between design and function. Galleria Meravigli | April 7-13, 2025 Kasia Bobula For its 10th anniversary, Hem unveils the Great Sofa by Philippe Malouin, a modular masterpiece three years in the making. On view at Capsule Plaza, this rigorously engineered piece marries comfort and precision, with Kvadrat-upholstered foam that adds an extra layer of indulgence. Malouin’s playful, experimental approach finds its way into every curve, proving that practicality and luxury aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re just better together. Capsule Plaza | April 8-13, 2025 ALIAS Mario Botta Zeta stool Norberto Pezzotta Alias continues to evolve its language of function and experimentation with Something Else, a collection debuting at Fondazione Matalon. Featuring new works from Mario Botta, Paolo Rizzatto, Riccardo Blumer, and Daniel Rybakken, the presentation distills decades of research into forms that challenge, delight, and—most importantly—work. Foro Buonaparte 67 | April 7 – 13, 2025 A century of Italian culinary heritage unfolds at Arclinea’s 100 YEARS, 100 INGREDIENTS, a photographic tribute to the building blocks of great cuisine. Through Amélie Ambroise’s lens, even the humblest ingredient becomes an object of desire—captured in its raw, untouched state before it transforms into something greater. Via Durini 7, 20122 Milan | April 8 – 13, 2025 L.U.P.O. LORENZELLI PROJECTS L.U.P.O. GALLERIA Antonio Giancaspro. L.U.P.O’s newly opened Isola gallery doubles down on its commitment to emerging artists with a two-part exhibition exploring fragmentation, connection, and the liminal space between reality and perception. Both co-curated by Sole Castelbarco Albani, the exhibits will include works from Leo Luccioni, Rachel Obkirk, Gus Monday, and others converse with furniture from Vero, creating a dialogue where art and design blur into one. Via Borsieri, 29, Milan | April 5—May 15, 2025 | Open by appointment | info@lupo.gallery C41 Kiosk turns the Milanese streets into an open-air club, bringing the raw energy of underground culture to Piazzale Lavater. This reimagined newsstand—customized in collaboration with Ray-Ban—becomes a hub for music, photography, and fashion. The activation is an extension of Balorama Ends Up in the Club, an editorial deep dive into Marseille’s electronic scene, captured through the lens of Morgan Delaygue for C41 Magazine Issue 17. Piazzale Lavater | April 8-12, 2025 With Light Bites, HABITS redefines the dining table as an interactive canvas. Unveiling at Superstudio Più, this collection of sensor-equipped tableware reacts to movement, color, and gesture, turning every meal into a living composition. A fusion of technology and ritual, it’s an invitation to eat not just with your hands, but with your eyes—and maybe even your imagination. Superstudio Più, Via Tortona, 27 | April 7-13,2025 For its 10th anniversary, La DoubleJ opens the doors to LDJ Starquarters, a five-story hub in the heart of Navigli that’s equal parts headquarters and sanctuary. The space is complete with a Galactic Roof Deck, hosting a weeklong lineup of sound healing sessions and vibration-raising rituals in the new Gong Temple. On the design front, La DoubleJ debuts a fresh take on its home collection—100% Made in Italy, wrapped in romantic blush tones, and available across three Milan locations, including a month-long pop-up on Via Vigevano. Via Vigevano 18 | April 7-13,2025 Giga Design Studio curates Ways of Seeing, a collective exhibition featuring 11 creatives—including Bethan Laura Wood, India Mahdavi, and Patricia Urquiola—who challenge conventional perspectives through textile and materiality. Expect a showcase that celebrates both visual perception and tactile storytelling. Piazza Santo Stefano, 10 | April 8–13, 2025 Capsule Plaza Capsule Plaza 2024 Capsule Plaza Back for its third edition, Capsule Plaza expands its footprint in activating a network of industrial and retail spaces across Spazio Maiocchi, Porta Venezia, and beyond. Curated by Capsule founder Alessio Ascari and architect Paul Cournet, this year’s lineup bridges design, fashion, and material innovation, with contributions from Hem x Formafantasma, Stone Island, Nordiska Galleriet, Nike, Lacividina, and more. Alongside large-scale installations, the program includes talks, workshops, and interactive spaces—from a conceptual gift shop to a kitchen by 70 Materia x Elica. Reinventing the idea of radical design for today, Capsule Plaza remains Milan’s essential crossroad for the experimental and unexpected. Via Maiocchi 5-7 | April 7–13, 2025 Diesel Living Diesel Living Diesel Living Diesel Living turns its San Babila pop-up into a fully immersive environment, blurring the boundaries between fashion, interiors, and art. Collaborations with Lodes and Moroso set the stage, but it’s the brand’s signature irreverence—denim devoré, silver mirrors, unapologetic attitude—that steals the show. Diesel Living Temporary Store, P.za San Babila ⅓ | April 7-13,2025 Now in its third edition, Convey transforms the Porta Venezia into a dynamic design district where storefronts, streets, and pop-ups become an open-source exhibition. This year, the platform expands beyond brands, introducing guest designers for the first time—starting with Sunfish, the New York studio making its European debut with a self-produced furniture collection. With the addition of Convey Market, this edition sharpens its focus on new voices and fresh perspectives, solidifying its place as a key player in contemporary design. Via Rosolino Pilo, 14 | April 7-13, 2025 Cadogan Gallery For the first time, LRNCE brings its sun-drenched aesthetic to Milan at Cadogan Gallery, unveiling a collection that merges Moroccan tradition with a distinctly modern sensibility. Expect hand-painted ceramics, woven textiles, and the kind of effortless artistry that turns everyday objects into something more—a feeling, a memory, a piece of home. Via Bramante, 5 BOCCI Studio Kate W Celebrating 20 years of experimentation and material alchemy, Bocci marks the milestone with The Numbers Between The Numbers, a special exhibition curated by David Alhadeff of The Future Perfect. The showcase offers a deep dive into Omer Arbel’s design process, unveiling new works that capture the studio’s evolving relationship with glass, metal, and form. This anniversary exhibition reflects two decades of pushing the boundaries of light and material, with additional works by Orior, Calico Wallpaper, Shore and Christopher Farr. Via Lorenzo Mascheroni 2 | April 7-13, 2025 Salone del Mobile Salone del Mobile Salone del Mobile As the world’s premier design fair, Salone del Mobile brings together over 2,000 exhibitors across furniture, lighting, and interior design. Now in its 63rd edition, the event remains the benchmark for innovation, craftsmanship, and industry trends, drawing architects, designers, and brands from around the globe. This year, Salone expands its focus on sustainability, material research, and technology-driven design solutions, while Euroluce and Workplace3.0 offer dedicated platforms for lighting innovation and the evolving nature of workspaces. Beyond the fairgrounds, Salone in the City extends the conversation into Milan’s historic districts, reinforcing its position as the ultimate stage for the future of design. Rho Fiera | April 8–13, 2025 Diego Ravier Euroluce knows good lighting. Pop around the exhibition and find Foscarini—they’ve reinvented the chandelier with Francesco & Alberto Meda’s series incorporating Mt. Vesuvius lava stone, while a cinematic video installation by Bennett Pimpinella transforms light into a narrative force. Ingo Maurer continues its conceptual play with designs that blur the line between function and fantasy, and Artemide pushes boundaries with collaborations spanning SOM Studio and Herzog & de Meuron. Meanwhile, GRAU redefines ambiance through human-centric lighting, proving that illumination isn’t just about seeing—it’s about feeling. Rho Fiera | April 8–13, 2025 Kasthall Goose Eye Anniversary Magnus Mårding Marking 135 years, Kasthall reimagines its beloved Goose Eye pattern with modern textures, bold new colorways, and an embossed leather anniversary label. Made from pure wool and linen, this iteration honors Scandinavian design’s rich heritage while looking toward the future. Brera Design District, Piazza Paolo VI Rooms Studio ROOMS Nata Janberidze and Keti Toloraia Alex Domingo Rooms Studio lands in Milan with a trio of exhibitions, each shaped by the shifting social landscape of Tbilisi. A solo showcase at Studio Frey Barth delves into the emotional weight of form, while The Shape of Resistance, a collaboration with Bitossi Ceramiche, transforms ceramics into a quiet act of defiance. At cc-tapis, Spider’s Mantra introduces the next chapter in the studio’s rug series—a woven manifesto for those who see textiles as more than just surfaces. Multiple Locations | April 8–13, 2025 Yabu Pushelberg Yabu Pushelberg's Sen lounge chair for Leolux Yabu Pushelberg brings a series of new product launches to the week, spanning furniture, lighting, and homewares in collaboration with leading Italian and global brands. Partnering with Molteni&C, MDF Italia, Salvatori, Henge, Zucchetti, and Lasvit, among others, the studio continues its exploration of form, craft, and material innovation. From the sculptural Sen lounge chair for Leolux to the celestial-inspired Hoshikage tableware for Noritake, each piece reflects the studio’s signature blend of elegance and ingenuity. As Milan becomes their second home, Yabu Pushelberg’s latest work reaffirms their role in shaping contemporary design, balancing artistry with functionality across disciplines. Multiple Locations | April 8–13, 2025 Editorial StandardsForbes Accolades