Combining design and la dolce vita

Away from the hustle and bustle of the exhibition centre, the Fuorisalone in Milan has once again demonstrated the many faces of design: young, experimental, poetic – and tangible. We take a stroll through Porta Venezia, Isola and LABÒ.

During Design Week, Milan is not just about the crowds – more than anything, it’s about the vibe. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the exhibition centre, the city’s design districts offer countless alleys, courtyards, studios, and palazzi full of surprises, courage, and artistic freedom. It’s little wonder that the Fuorisalone captivated me once again this year. There were many new faces and voices to discover, unusual settings and an atmosphere that hovers between urban patina and creative nonchalance. Just like Milan.

First stop: the Porta Venezia Design District

An elegant neighbourhood featuring Wilhelminian-style buildings, classical facades, and a multicultural heart. Here, Viennese Art Nouveau meets Milanese cool. Set against this backdrop, the ​‘Vienna Vibes’ exhibition by Galerie Zippenfenig leis hidden behind an erotic store – an intentional curatorial choice that treads the fine line between irony and seriousness. The location itself: surreal. The pieces on display: surprising. The multi-layered works by Marie-Theres Genser (mariedares), who reimagines the theme of space and body with ​‘Falling Cubes’, and the sculptural seating object ​‘OFFCUT – 10 DAYS’ by Julian Paula, are particularly memorable. Aglaea, a delicate work by Studio Sphaer, also plays elegantly with contrasts. What remains is the impression that something is happening here – freely, courageously, unconventionally.

I continue through the alleys – and suddenly I am intuitively drawn to a particular place: the studio shop of Mark Giusti. The designer painstakingly handcrafts leather accessories inspired by historical mosaics. What impresses here is not only the design language, but also the attitude: sustainability is not an affectation here, but a way of life. And the interior? A total work of art – designed by the maestro himself.

Next we’re off to Isola

The design district of the same name is located north of Porta Garibaldi – urban, creative, a bit rough around the edges, reminiscent of Berlin in places, but also very much Milan. I was already a fan in 2024, and in 2025 I was thrilled again. The lamps by Jack Brandsma are pure experimentation: ​‘Funky Funghi’ is the name of the new lamp made of mycelium, manufactured by Mycotex using a specially patented process. Equally impressive: the ​‘Cross Pollination’ exhibition by Pforzheim University. Also particularly striking were the glass pieces from the jewellery design course – fragile, light, and full of expression.

And then – almost like a little escape from the city – we make the journey out to LABÒ in the former industrial area of the Fondazione Rodolfo Ferrari. Bringing together halls, gardens and brick facades, a contrasting programme to the design hustle and bustle unfolds. Here it can be quiet, poetic, experimental. With the ​‘From Sand’ collection, DECHEM demonstrates how glass can be reimagined as a material – raw, transparent, layered. Two Hundred Tons, a young Czech label, impresses with its UNROLL collection – steel furniture so finely crafted that it looks like sculpture. Andrée Bracq’s installation entitles ​‘La Trame’ tells of the connection between textiles, architecture, and emotion.

And to round it all off: sunset, a DJ set, and ​‘aperitivo’ on the roof terrace at mmcité. The new Linfa bench collection, designed with AG&P greenscape and Cattaneo design, is not just sitting around — it becomes a stage for encounters, conversations, design in real life. Amongst lemon trees and green palms, it is so pleasant to sit and chat that – as is so often the case in Milan – you would really like to stay a little longer…

Conclusion:

In 2025, the Design Week in Milan was once again an invitation to discover – not loudly, but deeply. With too little time, but just long enough to create lasting memories: of touching objects, new perspectives, and encounters that resonate.

Don’t miss a thing — we’ll keep you up to date!

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