It’s an exciting time to be living in Milan; it seems every other month there is a major event happening here. In fact, I recently had the opportunity to attend the event of the year in Milan. Each spring, the city transforms as hundreds of thousands of visitors ascend into Italy’s design capital for Milan Design Week (MDW).
What Exactly Is Milan Design Week?
You may hear a few different terms thrown around, but they all mean more or less the same thing. Milan Design Week is often used as an umbrella term encompassing two major events: Salone del Mobile (the world’s largest furniture and design trade fair) and Fuorisalone (a network of exhibitions, installations, and events spread throughout the city).
Let’s start with Salone del Mobile, which first launched in 1961 to showcase Italian furniture manufacturing and design excellence. What began as an industry trade fair has now grown into an international event attracting designers, architects, brands, journalists, students, and visitors from around the world. It takes place at the Rho Fiera exhibition hall in the outskirts of Milan.
Today, the Salone regularly welcomes hundreds of thousands of attendees and serves as a launchpad for new products, design trends, and collaborations. However, over time, brands and designers began hosting independent events throughout Milan during the same week. These off-site exhibitions evolved into what we now know as Fuorisalone, literally meaning “outside the fair.” Today, many visitors spend as much time exploring Fuorisalone (if not more) as they do at the official fair itself.
The Entire City Becomes an Exhibition
One of the most surprising aspects of Design Week is how accessible it can be. While Salone del Mobile requires admission and is primarily geared toward industry professionals, many Fuorisalone events are completely free and open to the public!
Thanks to Fuorisalone, the events seem to spill into every corner of the city. This creates an atmosphere unlike almost any other event in Milan. Students, tourists, professionals, and locals all find themselves standing in line together to experience the latest installations. So, the best part? You don’t necessarily need to be an architect, designer, or design enthusiast to enjoy the perks of the week.
Let’s discuss the exhibitions. Some feature furniture and interiors while others have almost nothing to do with traditional design. This is what makes Milan Design Week so fascinating – the definition of “design” has expanded dramatically. For this reason, perhaps the most entertaining aspect of Design Week is seeing which brands decide to participate.
For instance, one morning I found myself exploring exhibitions near the popular neighborhoods Piazza Risorgimento and Porta Venezia. I visited events hosted by IKEA, Vanity Fair, and Skoda. After a quick gelato break, I headed to the southwest corner of Milan to meander Via Tortona where I saw events by Marimekko, McDonald’s, and Iqos. As you can see, every brand wants in on a slice of MDW.
And it keeps getting better. Perhaps the best part is discovering spaces that are normally closed to visitors and the public. You’ve read that correctly! Historic residences, private courtyards and palazzos, and other various, hidden architectural gems suddenly become accessible for this one week.
Everything sounds incredible (and I promise it is), so you may be wondering if there are any downsides. The real challenge of the week is planning. With hundreds of events spread across the entire city, it’s impossible to see everything. My advice for anyone attending a future Milan Design Week is to make a list of the top exhibitions you want to see and map them out by neighborhood so you can tackle as many as possible.
Wrapping Up a Busy Week
After the buzz of a busy and energetic week, by the time the weekend rolls around the city is ready for a rest. As the 800,000 or so visitors head back home it seems like Milan is eerily quiet. That is until the next major event that is surely around the corner.
I’m grateful to call Milan home and experience these international events firsthand. This was my first year truly attending the Milan Design Week events and the level of energy and passion in the city was electrifying and contagious. I’m looking forward to next year’s event and hope to see some of you there!
