5 Top Highlights From Milan Design Week 2023

In a week-long dedicated programme, one of the design calendar’s most notable events, Milan Design Week, returned last week with installations and exhibitions popping up across the city including the 61st edition of Salone del Mobile, one of the world’s largest furniture fairs. With the fair recording a 15% increase on attendance from 2022 (307,418 attendees from 181 different countries and 2000 exhibiting brands), it was interesting to see the rapid shift back to physical events despite the hiatus and rise of digital alternatives during the pandemic-imposed lockdowns.

While this break from the physical calendar gave us a chance to reconsider the impact of such events, this years’ edition showcased the popularity and desire for interaction outside of the digital sphere. However, with the future purpose behind trade fairs such as Salone del Mobile remaining in question, it was encouraging to see brands focusing on showroom installations within the city itself, centring on current issues such as climate change, responsible manufacturing, and equality within the design world. If shows such as this are to continue as we work towards a greener and fairer future, brands must consider the impact of presenting new collections within them and if possible, how they can encourage change on a wider scale in doing so.

While many highlights drew crowds throughout the week, most notably Alcova with its lengthy queues from both local and international visitors, here are five which caught my attention:

Spirits: Excellent for the Head by HEAD – Genève

Putting a spotlight onto the strong lineage of female design visionaries which have changed the course of the design industry, this thought-provoking installation by the Swiss university had a variety of elements which came together in a compelling and interactive statement. Located within Casa degli Artisti, which was renamed ‘House of Switzerland’ for the week and was part of a wider showcase of Swiss design brought together by Présence Suisse and Pro Helvetia, it presented a series of glassware designs created by the university’s students with each one dedicated to a specific designer they had been inspired by. Hidden behind scenography which featured a mountain embellished with the names of 260 female designers lay a speakeasy bar from which a model train carried each of the seven glasses around the mountain for viewers to see. “Our exhibition was created to fight the invisibility of women in Art and Design,” comments newly appointed Director of the school, Lada Umstätter. “It is also a strong signal of what our university wishes to offer in terms of visibility for young women designers. There is real change to be made, and not only in the consciousness of the issue.” Already a success, the installation will also feature at Paris Design Week in September.

Norwegian Presence

Based in a new venue in Brera for this year’s showcase, Norwegian Presence brought together an array of local talent each pioneering a fresh take on design with a strong focus on circularity and sustainable production. Highlights included an indoor-outdoor bench design titled Bello! by Lars Beller Fjetland which was manufactured in collaboration with Hydro, specialists in sustainable aluminium production. Using 90% recycled aluminium, the bench made its industry debut turning heads not only because of its low-carbon footprint but also because of its unique, ridged silhouette which was inspired by the form of penne pasta. Another stand-out feature was the Juv dining table by Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng who had hand-carved the sculptural design from Norwegian ash using only a chainsaw.

L’Appartamento by Artemest

Situated within a 1930’s apartment in the heart of the city, six rooms, each curated by a wealth of interior design talent, displayed the depth of artisanal craft that the platform offers. Featuring designs from over 130 Artemest creatives, this evocative takeover took you on a sensory journey from room to room bringing a dynamic energy to this special location. With curations by talents such as American-Sudanese designer Rabah Saeid, the founder of Styled Habitat, French interior designer Anne-Sophie Pailleret and US-based designer Nina Magon, this was an exquisite display of fine Italian craft, complemented perfectly by its unique and enchanting surroundings.

Clay Court Club by Cristina Celestino

In a collaboration with We Are Ona who presented a pop-up restaurant for the week, this design highlight took place in the historic Bonacossa Tennis Club designed by Giovanni Muzio. With the interiors of the club reimagined by Celestino, she connected the indoor and outdoor spaces through geometric details, oversized silhouettes and contemporary furniture designs while honouring the heritage of the building itself and combining it beautifully with the creative world as we know it today. A bespoke coaching program was available throughout the week for guests, alongside a gastronomic experience by French chef Marine Hervouet which meant this unique venue offered a welcome break from the intensity of the event schedule across the city.

The Thames Table by Federico Peri for Bentley Home

In an exploration of sustainable materials and innovation, Bentley Home collaborated with the Italian designer Federico Peri to create a series of table designs including two made from a ‘raw paper’ micro cellulose compound which, when used with natural pigments, has an appearance similar to marble. Created exclusively by Riccardo Cavaciocchi, the material (Paper Factor®) is made by hand in Lecce in Southern Italy and helped to showcase how luxury brands are helping to change mindsets and push boundaries in presenting alternatives to materials that are widely used with a high impact on the environment. It also portrayed how ‘luxury’ is being redefined and its meaning is changing for brands such as Bentley who are eager to partner with independent artisans and craftspeople to continue this exploration into conscious material alternatives while upholding their high-quality standards and desired aesthetic.