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Milan Design Week Affirms its Command of Contemporary Creativity

From Salone del Mobile’s new focus on collectible work to landmark exhibitions in private settings

By Ryan Waddoups
Elegant hotel room with stylish decor, modern artwork, mirrored closet doors, and cozy lighting accents.
A room at The Carlton Milan. Photo: COURTESY OF ROCCO FORTE HOTELS

Each April, Milan Design Week takes over the city, luring designers, makers, and connoisseurs, who visit the multitude of imaginative presentations, most notably Salone del Mobile, the world’s largest furniture trade fair. This year’s edition, taking place April 21 to 26, shines a light on rarity, craftsmanship, and industrial innovation. The shift finds its clearest expression in Salone Raritas, a new section dedicated to collectible works. Conceived by Salone del Mobile president Maria Porro and curated by Annalisa Rosso with scenography by Formafantasma, the showcase introduces a platform tailored to architects, interior designers, and collectors. “Raritas offers galleries and studios a chance to engage directly with professionals who rarely attend traditional art or collectible shows,” Porro explains.

Modern multi-story building with green accents, surrounded by trees, situated at a street corner with clear blue sky.
Alcova site Villa Pestarini. Photo: LUIGI FIANO

Elsewhere in the city, Alcova mounts its 11th edition under the direction of Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima. The roving exhibition of collectible design returns to the Baggio Military Hospital complex and inaugurates a venue at Villa Pestarini—the only private residence in Milan designed by Franco Albini, which will be open to the public for the first time.

Established manufacturers round out the week with influential debuts. B&B Italia and Molteni&C unveil outdoor collections, Rubelli is readying an immersive textile installation conceived with Ai Weiwei, and Cassina reissues Gaetano Pesce’s iconic, circa-1980 Dalila sculptural chairs.

Outdoor seating set with two red chairs and a brown lounger on a textured patio surrounded by dry grass.
The Soleva outdoor collection by Molteni&C. Photo: MAX ZAMBELLI, COURTESY OF MOLTENI&C
Outdoor seating area with a round table, four modern chairs, surrounded by lush greenery and a stucco wall under a blue sky.
Dalila chairs by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina. Photo: COURTESY OF FRANCESCO DOLFO FOR CASSINA

Beyond the fairgrounds, Milan’s hospitality scene continues to expand in step with the week’s international draw. Following a sweeping renovation by designers Philip Vergeylen and Paolo Moschino under the creative direction of Olga Polizzi, The Carlton Milan marks the tenth Italian address for Rocco Forte Hotels. Situated among the boutiques on fashionable Via della Spiga, the hotel introduces 71 glamorous rooms and suites awash in saturated colors and Art Deco details as well as two restaurants and a bar. For visitors extending their itinerary, Lake Como provides a breathtaking counterpart—opened in March, the Lake Como Edition reworks a 19th-century palazzo on the western shore with interiors by Neri & Hu. Each speaks to the Lombardy region’s enduring ability to move forward while remaining deeply in tune with its own history.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Spring Issue under the headline “Milan Mode.” Subscribe to the magazine.