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The Coolest Fashion Projects at Milan Design Week 2026

From Marni’s Milanese rituals to a fairground carousel made of fruit.

The Coolest Fashion Projects at Milan Design Week 2026

From Marni’s Milanese rituals to a fairground carousel made of fruit.

The hottest week in every design lover’s calendar is here: Salone del Mobile, also known as Milan Design Week. Italy’s fashion capital is taken over by all things aesthetic, from fashion and food to furniture and festivities. Centred as always around the furniture fair and running from April 21 to 26, this year’s showcase is set to host hundreds of designers, architects and brands, so tune in for our full download.

There are happenings all over the city, with highlights including Jil Sander‘s “Reference Library” and Issey Miyake’s pleated paper installation. This year’s edition of the fair also hosts the EuroCucina showcase, an exhibition dedicated to kitchenware and equipment for all the budding chefs out there.

As the week comes to a close, we’ve picked out some of the coolest projects by our favorite brands, so read on to find out more.

For more on design, we spoke to Gab Bois about her surreal world and latest fashion collaboration.

Marni x Cucchi

Marni and Cucchi are celebrating quintessential Milanese social rituals, from the morning cappuccino to an espresso at the counter, through to the evening aperitivo. The project reimagines one of the city’s signature social places and blends the DNA of Marni and Pasticceria Cucchi into a distinctive aesthetic envisioned by RedDuo Studio. From tableware to textiles and pastry packaging to staff uniforms, the color palette and design language unfold across every element of the space. The cappuccino cups and saucers will also be available to buy at the Marni boutique on Via Montenapoleone. You’re about to see this one all over your feeds.

Issey Miyake “The Paper Log”

This year, Issey Miyake presents “The Paper Log: Shell and Core,” a project constructed entirely of compressed paper rolls, the byproduct of the house’s pleated garments. The pieces were conceived by Satoshi Kondo in collaboration with the Spanish architecture office, Ensamble Studio. Featuring both objects and furniture, the paper rolls resemble the structure of tree trunks with visible growth rings, creating a unique nod to passing time. With an incredible selection of creations on display, this one cannot be missed.

ASICS “Kinetic Playscape”

ASICS SportStyle makes its debut at Milan Design Week with the “Kinetic Playscape,” an immersive installation introducing the new Gel-Kinetic 2.0 sneaker. The showcase, conceived by Los Angeles-based studio NUOVA, sees a reimagined research institute where guests journey through a retro-futuristic world. The installation is grounded in the scientific finding that just 15 minutes and 9 seconds of movement positively impacts your mind. This is a refreshing take on the narratives surrounding physical exercise.

Louis Vuitton “Objets Nomades”

For Milan Design Week, Louis Vuitton is presenting its new “Objets Nomades” collection alongside its signature trunks at Palazzo Serbelloni. The Milanese palace provides a historical backdrop for the creations, arranged in bold colorways that offer a uniquely Louis Vuitton perspective, from Art Deco to the present day. Each room stages a different design area, with furniture, colors, textiles and styles all explored in the palatial atmosphere.

Jil Sander “Reference Library”

“Reference Library” is an exhibition conceived by Apartamento in collaboration with Jil Sander. The showcase brings together 60 books from around the world, each chosen by an individual with a unique perspective, such as writers, artists, filmmakers, thinkers and makers. Together, the books form a collection of personal references made to inspire. Reading for pleasure is in serious decline, and here the book is presented as an object worth defending. The installation sees rows of chrome lecterns, pooled in light and carrying each title, which is reflected back by a mirrored wall. Upon arrival, guests are presented with a pair of white gloves to wear (which you can keep afterwards as a memento) to handle the books with care.

ARKET and Laila Gohar

Nordic brand ARKET and New York-based artist Laila Gohar just dropped a collaboration, and to mark the launch, they teamed up to present a co-created public installation during Milan Design Week. The work centers on a reimagined fairground carousel, making it part sculpture and part interactive set. The ride’s figures are replaced by huge fruits and vegetables, a nod to Gohar’s enduring use of food, and creating a playfully theatrical outcome. “We wanted to create something open and inclusive, something that invites people in, rather than asks them to observe from a distance,” shared Gohar.

Gucci “Memoria” Curated by Demna

Gucci is presenting “Memoria,” an immersive exhibition curated by Demna, who was appointed the brand’s creative director last year. Taking place at the Chiostri di San Simpliciano, the project traces the House’s history through installations spanning tapestries, a botanical environment inspired by the Flora motif and interactive elements such as a custom vending machine. This is a full sensory experience channelling the rich story behind the brand.

RIMOWA

RIMOWA is a regular at Milan Design Week, staging something exciting most years. This time around, the luxury luggage brand is announcing a collaboration with Lehni. The pair is unveiling two designs dedicated to inside the home, specifically to store and protect your RIMOWA suitcases. This is an elegant answer to all your luggage storage problems. This is accompanied by the RIMOWA Lehni Visitor Center, a curated space open during the week, where the limited-edition pieces will be on display.

Bottega Veneta and Kwangho Lee

Bottega Veneta is collaborating with Korean artist Kwangho Lee for the third time. The project is a light installation staged in the house’s store alongside activations across the city. The showcase combines a suspended woven form with light sculptures designed from Bottega Veneta’s signature leather fettucce (strips). The pieces are created in bespoke shades of black and green chosen by creative director Louise Trotter, which echo the earthy feel of the space.

Byredo “In Conversation With”

Byredo presents “In Conversation With,” a collaboration with Jean-Guillaume Mathiaut, where a dialogue emerges between the architecture of fragrance and that of wood. In the immersive and sensory installation, nature and architecture blend in a gorgeous scene shaped by both worlds.

Prada Frames “In Sight”

Prada Frames is an annual symposium focused on intellectual inquiry and cross-disciplinary dialogue. Curated by design and research studio Formafantasma, the event titled “In Sight” focused on image-making in contemporary culture, exploring our preference for representation over fact. Lectures took place in the Sacrestia, a Renaissance space surrounded by antique pieces and biblical scenes.

Miu Miu Literary Club

Miu Miu hosted its Literary Club, “Politics of Desire,” under the direction of Miuccia Prada, and now in its fourth iteration. The event focuses on strengthening the brand’s interaction with culture, featuring conversations surrounding sexuality, desire and consent. Lectures covered the politics, AI and power behind this, and the radical act of resistance involved.

Fiorucci x Qeeboo

Fiorucci and Qeeboo unveiled a collaboration blending fashion and furniture through a collectible reinterpretation of the Rabbit Chair by Stefano Giovannoni. The piece is decorated with Fiorucci’s signature Toys pattern, a pop-art-inspired print rooted in the 1980s archives and featuring playful motifs such as animals and fruits. The chair features a glossy ceramic finish that enhances its details and makes it a fun collectible object ready to turn heads.

UNIQLO AIRism

UNIQLO is taking on design week by transforming some of the city’s iconic locations into experiential spaces to showcase its AIRism technology. The innovation is designed to remove any heat-related discomfort just in time for the upcoming warmer months. The brand invites visitors to discover the benefits firsthand with its “One Layer, Goodbye Discomfort” campaign. “With AIRism, we wanted to translate the idea of lightness, protection and relief into a spatial experience,” shared Claudia Campone of Thirtyone Design + Management studio, collaborating on the installation.

Chloé

Chloé’s creative director Chemena Kamali has been busy bringing back the brand’s signature bohemian vibe and playful nostalgia ever since her debut ready-to-wear collection for Fall/Winter 2024. This exclusive release may be the House’s most playful yet, introducing: the Tomato Chair. The furnishing was originally introduced in 1970 by French designer Christian Adam, in partnership with Italian manufacturer Poltronova, and now Kamali reintroduces the playful item through a quintessentially Chloé lens.

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