A Postcard from Milan

Anchored by the renowned Salone del Mobile, design week extends far beyond the ‘fiera’ exhibition halls. Across the city, a dynamic network of satellite installations and independent shows, collectively known as Fuorisalone, unfold in galleries, courtyards, every imaginable industrial, commercial and public space and even the city’s historic palazzi. 

Together, these events celebrate design, innovation, craftsmanship, aesthetics, and materiality, spotlighting new product launches, and providing a platform for emerging designers and makers to exhibit alongside established names. The result is a city-wide dialogue where experimentation, research, and design culture converge, shaping the direction of contemporary design. 

Discover a few of our highlights.  

Alphabet – Edward Barber Jay Osgerby 

Triennale Milano Viale Alemagna 6 20121, Milan 

Alphabet marks the first major retrospective of the eponymously named London based studio founded by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. 

Celebrating 30-years since the formation, the exhibition curated by Marco Sammicheli and designed by Studio Mille brings together the key projects arranged chronologically by decade, tracing the evolution of the studio’s distinctive approach, from early material explorations to complex, large-scale commissions. Central to the narrative are the long-standing collaborations with some of the world’s greatest manufacturers, which have played a defining role in shaping their important output through furniture, industrial products and public commissions. 

The exhibition juxtaposes finished pieces with prototypes, models, and archival sketches, providing insight into the iterative process behind their work. It highlights a rigorous approach to production, offering a rare window into the studio’s design process. 

The exhibition also reflects our own enduring relationship with Edward and Jay and includes the presentation of the Hotaru lighting collection, an example of the studio’s masterly exploration of form, movement, and light. Hotaru meaning firefly in Japanese uses traditional methods of production to create contemporary forms. 

The exhibition runs until 6th September 2026. 

The Eames Houses

Triennale Milano Viale Alemagna 6 20121, Milan 

Eames Office and Kettal present The Eames Houses, an expansive installation exploring the residential architecture of Charles and Ray Eames. 

Developed through years of research, the exhibition highlights their pioneering ideas on prefabrication, modularity, and human-scaled living. At its core is the unveiling of the Eames Pavilion System, a modular concept created in collaboration with Kettal. 

The installation features two full-scale pavilion structures, alongside newly commissioned models of eight houses, some never before exhibited, complemented by a selection of rare archival drawings, films, and photographs. 

A must-see for Eames and architecture fans, the exhibition runs until 10th May 2026. 

A Language of Clarity – Lella and Massimo Vignelli 

Triennale Milano Viale Alemagna 6 20121, Milan 

This major retrospective explores the work of Lella Vignelli and Massimo Vignelli, tracing their lasting impact on international design and graphic culture. 

Through a curated selection of objects, furniture, drawings, publications, and visual identities, the exhibition maps both their creative output and intellectual journey, from postwar Milan to New York City, where they established their practice in 1965. 

Curated by Francesca Picchi with Marco Sammichell and Studio Mut and developed in collaboration with the Vignelli Center for Design Studies and the Vignelli family, the show draws from an extensive archive to illuminate over five decades of multidisciplinary work. The exhibition design is by Jasper Morrison Studio and David Saik. 

Runs until 6th September 2026 

While exploring the Triennale, we also visited Frans Dijkmeijer: The Silent Pioneer, a fascinating, small-scale exhibition that explored the work of the Dutch weaver and textile designer, his archive recently donated to Danish Textile Company, Kvadrat.  

Soft Fold - Davide Biancucci and Guglielmo Campeggi 

Dropcity, Via Sammartini 54, Milan 

Curated by Davide Biancucci and Guglielmo Campeggi, Soft Fold is both an exhibition and research project exploring the evolution of the humble canvas folding chair. 

Through a selection of 40 pieces, the show examines a typology defined by efficiency, where minimal material meets maximum performance. Historic models and design icons are presented alongside contemporary interpretations, revealing how a simple, functional object has continuously adapted through innovation, engineering, and shifting ideas of portability and comfort. 

Balanced Principles | Vision of Wegner – Carl Hansen & Søn 

Via Solferino 11, 3rd floor, Milan 

Set within a Milanese home, this curated apartment exhibition offers an intimate perspective on the enduring legacy of Hans J. Wegner. 

Conceived as a lived-in environment, the immersive domestic setting reimagines how Wegner might inhabit a space today, pairing his renowned furniture with contemporary elements and tactile details. Pieces upholstered in patterned textiles by Anni Albers introduce a layered dialogue between material, craft, and modern living. 

The result is a nuanced portrait of everyday living, where craftsmanship, materiality, and human-centred design converge in a quietly expressive, residential environment. 

Renaissance of the Real – USM 

Fondazione Luigi Rovati, Corso Venezia 52, 20121 Milan 

Swiss modular furniture company USM presented Renaissance of the Real, a multisensory installation created with artist Annabelle Schneider and architecture studio Snøhetta. 

Set within the courtyard of Fondazione Luigi Rovati, the project offers a counterpoint to digital saturation, exploring how physical space can restore presence and connection. USM’s Haller system forms a structural framework, enveloped by a soft textile membrane that moves with a quiet, breathing rhythm. 

Within, visitors are immersed in a sensory landscape of sound, light, scent, and touch, an environment designed to slow perception and heighten physical awareness. 

For more Milan highlights, join us behind the scenes on Instagram.