Milan Design Week is the world’s most important design event of the year and we were lucky enough to visit in June. From the food to the shows, design, people and culture, we have never felt more inspired.

At the centre of the week is the Salone Del Mobile which is the main fair but there are hundreds of events and shows happening around the city. The week is filled with energy, passion & design everywhere you look. It’s truly the best.

So here is our recap and highlights including the key design trends and our must-visit restaurants.

 

Alcova is a show that highlights forward-looking design in the most beautiful and unexpected parts of Milan. It features works by established international brands along with emerging talents across technology, materials, sustainable production and so much more. It was presented in Centro Ospedaliero Militare di Baggio, which was previously a military hospital. Built in 1931 in a Deco style, it is filled with colour, patterns and beautiful stained glass and was the perfect backdrop.

Each room in the property was used to present an artist, designer or brands work which gave every collection a feel of history and romance.

Our favourite spot was the UnCut bar filled with multi-colour stone tables and softly coloured rainbow curtains. From the natural wines to the tunes, it was a delight to be there.

Alcova is a must visit.

Below are some of the other artists and brands we loved from the week.

Presented in the Brera art district of Milan, The Art of Dreams was nothing but a dream. In collaboration with Ruby Barber, an Australian floral artist based in Milan, the show enlightened every sense from sight, sound and smell. For a quick look at the experience, watch this video we made. You can check out Ruby Barber here. 

 

Slow Design is all about slow living and conscious consumption. It goes hand in hand with sustainability and both were prevalent throughout design week. Brands are focusing more on the materials they use, their production processes and the life cycle of the products they put out in the market. Small improvements compound into big change from material choices of the product to the packaging.

A natural flow on trend from the above was craftsmanship. Products that are made well with premium materials have a long lifespan, becoming heirloom pieces. Quality craftsmanship combines premium raw materials, innovative technologies and manufacturing processes with skilled artisans to create products that are a step above the rest. It’s something we focus on when designing and making each of our products.

It’s the combination of slow design, sustainability and craftsmanship that promote companies to create products of style & quality with streamlined production so there is minimal waste and impact on our planet. To make like this typically costs more but the cost and impact on the planet is less in the long term.

Mother nature always does it best. With hundreds of natural marbles and stone to choose from and different timbers of shades and pattern, combining the two brings joy into the home. Combining two different stones or different materials together creates a beautiful harmony. It’s both beautiful and surprising and when it’s done right, you can’t beat it.

At Alcova there were multicoloured striped stone tables and objects made of many materials.

So what did we love?

The standouts are below and you can click on each one to see more:

 

We ate lots of pizza, pasta and risotto (Milan is known for risotto) at so many delicious restaurants and cafes but there was one restaurant that stood out and we couldn’t recommend it more.

Named Ratana, it focuses on produce sourcing only the best ingredients from small scale farmers around Italy. You can taste the difference. We enjoyed the tasting menu and had the best risotto.