Milan Design Week 2025: Why It Matters and Where Design Public Will Be Scouting for You

Each April, Milan transforms into the global epicenter of design as the city welcomes Salone del Mobile and Fuorisalone, collectively known as Milan Design Week. 

As your trusted source for exceptional design, Design Public is headed to Milan to scout the best new releases from our Brand Partners. Can't make it to Italy this year? No problem. Consider Design Public your design correspondents on the ground, hunting for the pieces that will define how we'll all be living tomorrow.

Image: Mambo, Salone del Mobile, 2024

What Is Salone del Mobile (And Why Should You Care?)

First things first—what exactly are we talking about when we say "Salone"? Milan Design Week consists of two main events that transform the entire city into a design playground:

Salone del Mobile (founded in 1961) is the official furniture fair—think massive buildings with perfectly styled booths where all of the leaders in product design unveil what they've been secretly working on all year and sometimes many years. It's held at the Milan Fairgrounds in Rho, about 20 minutes outside the city center.

Fuorisalone (literally "outside the salon") is where things get interesting. It happens throughout the city concurrently, turning Milan into what locals call an "open-air museum." Historic palazzos, abandoned factories, private courtyards—suddenly, everywhere becomes a spectacular place to discover design. This is where designers get to discover immersive installations that are more experience than product display.

Together, they create a week where creativity permeates every corner of Milan, attracting over 400,000 design enthusiasts, industry insiders, and the just plain curious. But why should this matter to you? Because the furniture, lighting, accessories and materials that debut here will filter into design consciousness and eventually shape what's available for interior spaces in the years to come.

The Design Public Tour: Our Scouting Highlights

The Design Public team is packing their comfortable shoes (Milan requires serious walking—we're talking 30,000+ steps a day!) and visiting our featured Brand Partners across the city and at the fairgrounds. Here are some highlights we're particularly excited about:

Scandinavian Stars at Fuorisalone

Nordic design continues to evolve beyond minimalism, and we'll be visiting the city installations from Denmark's finest. Carl Hansen & Søn continues to demonstrate why Danish woodworking remains unparalleled in their flagship showroom in Milan.  Norr11 will be shown in the “Aria. A medium for connection in a curated interior project by Studiopepe.  

Material Innovators at Salone del Mobile

At the fairgrounds, we'll examine how brands are pushing the boundaries of what's possible with traditional materials. Kristalia transforms simple materials into minimalist marvels, while Miniforms brings playfulness to everyday objects through unexpected material combinations. We can't wait to sink into the masterful upholstery of Saba Italia and admire Artisan d.o.o love of wood which reflects the deep respect for nature, organic materials, and handcrafted design. 

Image: Saba Italia, Salone del Mobile, 2024

Lighting Revolutionaries Throughout Milan

Some of the most dramatic installations at Milan Design Week come from lighting brands that understand how illumination shapes experience. At both Salone and throughout the city, Artemide and Flos will demonstrate why Italian lighting design remains unmatched. Moooi's theatrical lighting presentations are guaranteed to be Instagram favorites.

Image: Moooi, Salone del Mobile, 2024

Sustainability Champions

As environmental concerns become paramount, we'll pay special attention to brands making genuine progress. Ethnicraft will present its latest work in responsibly sourced timber at both Salone and Fuorisalone locations. Artek continues its legacy of birch craftsmanship with adaptations of Alvar Aalto's timeless vision, while nanimarquina's newest rug collections blend traditional techniques with sustainable practices.

Image: Ethnicraft, Salone del Mobile, 2024

Outdoor Living Redefined

The lines between indoor and outdoor continue to blur, and we'll be visiting specialists who are elevating alfresco living. Cane-line's sophisticated outdoor pieces at Salone feel like indoor quality but withstand the elements while POINT. showcases their expertise at both venues with furniture that brings indoor comfort outside. Varaschin's refined collections at the fairgrounds elevate any exterior space, proving that "outdoor furniture" no longer means compromise.

Design Districts Not to Miss

While we'll be criss-crossing the city to visit our featured brands, Milan's design districts each have their own distinctive personality worth experiencing:

Brera Design District – The historic heart of Milan's design scene, where Renaissance architecture meets cutting-edge creativity. The narrow streets and hidden courtyards create magical settings and should be your first stop for the pure Instagram-worthiness alone.

Tortona Design District – Once an industrial area, Tortona now hosts some of Fuorisalone's most experimental, boundary-pushing installations in converted warehouses and factories. We always discover something unexpected here.

5Vie Art + Design District – One of Milan's oldest neighborhoods, 5Vie celebrates the intersection of art, craft, and design. The atmospheric backdrop of centuries-old buildings makes everything here feel more special.

Isola Design District – The emerging laboratory for experimental design, Isola, is where we scout for fresh ideas and forward-thinking approaches from rising talents.

Image: Very Wood, Salone del Mobile, 2024

Image: Sancal, Salone del Mobile, 2024

Your Connection to Milan Design Week

You don't need a plane ticket to get a taste of Salone's excitement. Design Public Group will be your eyes and ears in Milan, carefully selecting the standout pieces and noteworthy trends worth bringing to the US market.

When we return, the Design Public Group showroom will gradually fill with the very pieces that caught our eye in Milan. The furniture revolution doesn't happen overnight—most designs we see will be in production for months before they're available—but we'll keep you posted on what's coming and when you can experience it firsthand. Then, pop into our showroom when we return to hear all the stories that didn't make it to social media. We might even have a few espressos together and pretend we're still in Italy.