Luxury brands gathered across the city’s design districts and historic venues to showcase multisensory experiences from April 7 to 13. Image credit: Maserati Luxury brands recently descended upon Italy’s fashion capital for the latest edition of international furniture and design trade fair Salone del Mobile Milano.
Participants treated Milan as a canvas for exhibitions and satellite installations, using the event as an opportunity to debut exclusive collections and collaborations. These efforts revealed the evolving role of savoir-faire in contemporary living, as legacy maisons shape interior spaces with intention, tapping next-gen creatives to help extend influence.
Contemporary partnerships and celebrations of craft
From April 7 to 13, luxury brands gathered across the city’s design districts and historic venues to showcase multisensory experiences.
Some executed art-forward strategies, as was the case with Italian fashion label Gucci, which commissioned Milan-based architect and curator Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, founder of interdisciplinary agency 2050+, on “Gucci | Bamboo Encounters.”
From concept to creation. Bringing fresh perspectives to one of the House’s most recognizable codes, seven designers, artists, and studios envision the beauty of bamboo through diverse materials for #GucciBambooEncounters. Alongside a series of talks with the designers, industry… pic.twitter.com/DuJrtJXmmh
— gucci (@gucci) April 4, 2025
Drawing inspiration from the Gucci Bamboo 1947 handbag (see story), the Kering-owned house engaged modern artists who contributed intricate displays of craft that reimagined bamboo in “bold and unexpected ways.”
Entitled “1802251226,” Swedish-Chilean artist Anton Alvarez’s sculpture mirrors the natural shape of bamboo. Palestinian architect, artist and researcher Dima Srouji’s “Hybrid Exhalations” features hand-blown glass attachments applied to refurbished bamboo baskets.
Gucci prompted artists to reimagine bamboo in “bold and unexpected ways" for as part of its Milan Design Week activation. Image courtesy of Gucci
Milan’s Chiostri di San Simpliciano monastery acted as a backdrop for the Gucci project. Its team also hosted an accompanying talk series from April 8-10.
While Gucci celebrated its history, others chose to launch new home offerings, taking to bespoke settings for their Milan Design Week presentations.
Loro Piana and Dimoremilano debuted “La Prima Notte di Quiete”
Stationed within the Cortile della Seta courtyard of its Milan headquarters, Italian cashmere label Loro Piana's “La Prima Notte di Quiete” activation took the form of a fully-furnished house outfitted with items designed by Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci, founders of Milan-based luxury interior design firm Dimorestudio and the furniture line, Dimoremilano.
The pair created furniture upholstered in fabric from Loro Piana Interiors, working together for the first time. Pieces such as the Varallo round bed in Mohair velvet and the Valsesia oval table and Quarona poufs and coffee tables were staged beside selections from the prestige brand’s Art of Good Living collection, antiques and art.
Furniture upholstered in fabric from Loro Piana Interiors was showcased as part of the brand's Milan Design Week activation. Image courtesy of Loro Piana
Loro Piana also unveiled a new, handcrafted and matte-gold patterned porcelain tableware collection it calls Punti a Maglia. It was not alone in calling attention to an inaugural drop.
Entering a new design era, French fashion house Louis Vuitton returned to the Palazzo Serbelloni this year to debut a full-scale home collection.
#MilanDesignWeek2025. Nine rooms filled with the spirit of innovation. From the Objets Nomades to the Trunks Collection, every piece found its place, creating a dialogue between design and imagination. Discover more at https://t.co/S1Ztr7qyaj#LouisVuitton pic.twitter.com/M4bUfp8fJd
— Louis Vuitton (@LouisVuitton) April 10, 2025
Building on Louis Vuitton’s travel and home-focused Objets Nomades line, originally introduced in 2012, the newly expanded home assortment features new furniture and lighting designs, decorative works, tableware and gaming pieces, and is currently for sale exclusively at its Via Montenapoleone flagship store (see story).
Made in Italy
Heritage brands beyond fashion also made design-focused statements at Milan Design Week (see story).
Italian automaker Maserati returned to the Fuorisalone circuit, teaming up with Italian luxury furniture maker Giorgetti to share an interior collection and a one-off Grecale Folgore SUV.
Unveiled during private previews at the brand’s Milan showroom, as well as that of its partner’s, Giorgetti Maserati Edition interior pieces include sculptural sofas, armchairs and coffee tables informed by mythology and the sea, in a nod to the signature Maserati Trident.
The Giorgetti Maserati Edition interior collection. Image credit: Maserati
Aiming to extend the comforts of home into luxury mobility, the matching customized EV featured denim-colored leather and an exclusive Giorgetti wool-blend textile throughout the cabin.
“At Maserati, we have always had a deep connection with the world of interior design. Both our cars and Giorgetti furniture are more than just function as they are crafted to evoke emotions, to create experiences that linger,” said Klaus Busse, head of design at Maserati, in a statement.
“Fuoriserie means ‘out of the ordinary’ in Italian, and it’s the name of a customization program conceived to create extraordinary experiences and masterpieces,” Mr. Busse said. “We worked with Giorgetti to express their personality and craftsmanship by creating a one-of-a-kind Grecale Giorgetti Edition, as a statement of innovation and refinement that reflects the Trident’s constant experimentation and Giorgetti’s timeless sophistication.”
Meanwhile, French automaker Bugatti marked the official opening of its first Home atelier last week.
Located in Palazzo Chiesa in Milan’s Design District, the showroom features the Bugatti Home Collection (see story) and houses a dedicated personalization and configuration area.
Bugatti has also released a luxury furniture capsule and, expanding beyond existing category entries, introduced a new line of accessories that reflect the fluid forms and hues of its hyper sports cars.
Bugatti Home has opened its first atelier in Milan
“The opening of the first Bugatti Home Atelier in Milan marks a milestone in our global expansion strategy,” said Andrea Gentilini, CEO of Luxury Living Group, in a statement.
“This exclusive space is not only a testament to our commitment to excellence but also a place where clients can immerse themselves in the Bugatti world, personalizing every detail to reflect their unique vision,” Mr. Gentilini said. “The Milan Design Week provides the perfect stage for this unveiling, following the successful openings in Paris and Dubai.”