Macrotrends of Milan Design Week

Reconstructed Legacy refers to an ode to heritage through a relaxed, contemporary lens. Nostalgic reinterpretations of traditional design elements were abundant in Milan, where fringes, trims, and tassels were paired with contemporary furniture styles in various colour combinations.

Incorporating water into living spaces has been popular throughout centuries and, from an installation perspective, we saw both Reconstructed Legacy and Escapism in the use of water as a play on metallic surfaces. By displaying their colourful sheers above a pool of water, Kirkby Design and Studiopepe channelled traditional reflection ponds to evoke a serene atmosphere within a contemporary hotel setting.

The global desire for post-pandemic Escapism is leaning into a sense of surrealism, supplemented by the element of surprise found in many spaces. A vast number of exhibitions were held in private heritage buildings which are beyond the ordinary reach of most attendees, thus it is surreal to be admitted into ‘secret spaces’ like Edra’s new showroom inside Palazzo Durini Caproni di Taliedo.

1980s glamour and an overall sense of drama was felt across many exhibitions. High-pile textiles including faux fur, bouclé, and velvet, as well as eccentric diamanté upholsteries enhanced the layers of tactility within spaces curated by Edra, Artemest, Dimore Studio, and in the halls of Alcova. These textiles appeared in vibrant colours including cobalt, citrine, and chartreuse but were simultaneously mellowed by softer shades of sky blue, peach, pink, and terracotta.

Creative Confidence appeared in the spirited use of colour across commercially and residentially designed spaces, notably in Dimore Studio’s colour-blocked rooms of red or purple, Kirkby Design’s candy-coloured ombre sheer, and the vibrant, tactile upholsteries seen at Edra and L’Appartmento.

Beyond the fair we witnessed this confidence in the boutiques of fashion brand Miu Miu and renown Milanese patisserie Marchesi 1824, where layers of singular colour across textures and substrates in sky blue and pistachio green created alluringly decadent spaces.

Hard surfaces such as marble, stone, and ceramic tiles with handmade qualities were widespread in Milan; frequently embracing pink and green colourways alongside traditional terracotta. Additionally, it was impossible to ignore the presence of spheres in many forms – spherical ottomans, cushions, lights, and chairs embraced rounded perfection to stretch beyond the organic and into the decidedly voluptuous.

Discover our designers’ exhibition highlights from Milan Design Week 2023 and the colour, construction, technology, and design trends which caught their attention at Proposte, an Italian textile trade fair, in our previous articles.