New Color

A pale buttery yellow appeared at Faye Toogood for Tacchini, Zanotta, and Uma x Friedman Benda. It’s smooth, friendly, and a welcoming change from the strong yellow that has been on the market for a few years.

In general terms, the color explosion from previous years and since 2021, as a response to more joy, was much less notable.

New Material

It just makes sense that we move towards a warmer metal, since white metal has not had its moment and is here to stay. Please note, these are the very first signals. Copper was featured by Christian Pellizzari x Nilufar Gallery, Maxalto, and Arno Declerq.

Finish

Unpolished, raw, and experimental—very much in the spirit of Brutalism and craftsmanship. Hard to pick any examples here; Nilufar Gallery was one of the ambassadors for sure.

Product

The mirror is having a moment, appearing in many artistic expressions—sometimes functional, sometimes purely sculptural. It’s becoming the new expressive accessory in the home. Outstanding designs came from Il Piccolo Brand Exto/Nodus or Audrey Large.

Furniture

The Brutalist armchair took on many forms: from a solid chunk of wood to white metal armor. Notable examples include Nick Ross at Alcova and Casa Fendi.

Element

This edition’s defining material is white metal—a natural evolution from the 2024 edition, where we got a first taste. Aluminum, steel, chrome—designers are choosing based on function and aesthetics. Completed works at Villa Borsani (Alvoca) or Kawaguchi are a couple of examples.

Sustainability

Honestly, it deserves an essay. The sheer excess of exhibitions, booth designs, and product consumption is hard to grasp unless you’ve been there. I genuinely appreciate the attempts at using vegan leather (Patricia Urquiola in her Alquimia exhibition for Elle Decor Italy), waste-based products (from Waste to Jewel by Victoria Tonu & Matter Eco), and recycled materials, but Milan Design Week has reached a level of overproduction that feels uncomfortable. Maybe it’s not the level, because we’ve been witnessing this for years now, but most likely our/my consciousness has shifted. I am aware, though, that the simple fact that I am traveling to Milan does not help the overarching issue.

Mood

This was my 16th visit to Milan Design Week. The creativity of large installations has always inspired me—they brought joy and wonder, and made the event feel magical. But this year felt like a tipping point. And maybe that’s okay. It’s no longer sustainable for many brands – not just the Guccis, Hermès, or Loewes of the world. There was less spectacle this year, and I wonder if that dims the spirit of MDW we used to know.

Emerging

Collectible Design is everywhere now. I don’t recall galleries or specialized platforms spotlighting their artists like this 5–10 years ago. It’s thrilling to see such high levels of craftsmanship and artistry—but also undeniably elitist. I can’t help but wonder: is there truly an audience for it right now? Examples are Zavantem Atelier, Boon Editions, The Fuure Perfect, or Friedman Benda.