Milan; Revealing See How Our Senses Meet Emotional Design

In a world driven mercilessly by AI, it seems we have no choice in this somewhat hairy rollercoaster of joy, fear and dread. The annual design fair in Milan highlighted how, without human interaction, without the joining of our senses with design AI, simply can’t work. So much of what was on show was there to engage with, to touch, smell and see. Maybe the future in new hands is a lot less frightening than we are all fearing. Milan showed hope.

By Jo Phillips and Romee Pietersen

Founded in 1961, Salone del Mobile, also known as Milan Design Week, is an annual international furniture and design trade fair global benchmark event for the furnishing and design sector held in Milan, Italy. 

Every year in April, the good and great of the world of design and even product communities congregate in this one city to explore where design is taking us all. Design now more than ever is an umbrella term that can encompass anything from food to furniture, cars to perfume and more. As well as a huge design fair, the city is literally taken over for one week. Walk down any street, turn any corner and find something of interest related in some shape or form to design.

As our world becomes more and more automated, we have to think far less to get things done. The creeping fear that machines (driven by AI) are taking over the world was somewhat halted this year at the show. One standout take from this year’s presentations was that touch, sound, smell, and hearing were so part of the installations on show.

Take, for example, the plethora of scent companies showing during the event. Perfumer extraordinaire Marc-Antoine Barrois paired with designer Antoine Bouillot for an exclusive preview at Milano Design Week.

For their first-ever appearance at the show, they unveiled a large-scale, immersive installation, an emotional journey of olfactory art and experiential design, offering a vision of hope and optimism. Entering the event contained in an old rope factory, the viewer was met by a black walkway made up of long black rope, which meant accessing the installation was a journey of both excitement and trepidation.

Once making it through the dark curtain, there was light. In the centre hung a bright white orbed light with white flowers below and pebbled seating. The womb-like space accessed via the black rope curtains was metaphorically as well as physically, going from dark to light.

The result was a play of darkness and light, this dense forest of ropes to navigate through, in order to reach a giant spherical light, with white paper tuberoses at its heart.

Once arrived, seating was present but from a new dimension, a collaboration between Barrois and Bouillot being launched as a limited edition through the Marc-Antoine Barrois boutiques in London and Paris, and StudioTwentySeven in New York.

Reminiscent of giant marble stones resting there were in fact giant versions of pebbles they collected on the beaches of Belle Île, where Barrois lives in France.

The surfaces were then scanned, capturing every element of colours, curves, and texture, then reproduced via carving from blocks of Italian marble.

This was the global launch for his latest elixir, Aldebaran ( a star that is 400 times brighter than the sun, which symbolises hope and optimism: more to come ), and it was very much related to his artistic world, where his aesthetic and emotive messages met. The darkness leading to light is the hope we all wish for, the optimism we all crave in troubled times. It was very much in keeping with much of the optimism and emotionally led events and shows during Milan, and also won a first prize at the This was the global launch for his latest elixir, Aldebaran ( a star that is 400 times brighter than the sun that symbolises hope and optimism: more to come ), and it was very much related to his artistic world, where his aesthetic and emotive messages met. The darkness leading to light is the hope we all wish for, the optimism we all crave in troubled times. It was very much in keeping with much of the optimism and emotionally led events and shows during Milan, and also won a first prize at the Fuorisalone Award.

.

Next up, Australian home brand Aesop, the show’s first ever Sensory Patron and this season their second as an official partner of Salone del Mobile. Awaiting the culturally-minded and sensorially inquisitive alike was an installation at Chiesa del Carmine called The Second Skin. Taking place at the historic 15th-century church was the exploration of dermis and design that took inspiration both from the skin’s functions of regulation, protection and sensation, and the alluring entrance halls that are a signature of so many Milanese buildings. Both the skin of the human and the skin of the building explode through smell and touch.

The house presented its new hand balm, Eleos Aromatique, with its woody, herbaceous and spicy aroma, in giant metal troughs, as a celebration of water on skin. Deeper into a hidden inner sanctum, a film screened of dancers expressing the joyful act of bathing. The work was made in collaboration with Nayoung Kim, an independent choreographer and current dancer of Tanztheater Wuppertal.

One of the early adopters of niche Fragrance, Diptyque, celebrated the opening of their newest store in Milan at via Manzoni.

At 134 m2 space over two floors, it is characterised by the Diptyque founding spirit and the first boutique opened at 34 boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris. Soft furnishings, dazzling colours and an eclectic collection of art and object d’art, bringing a sense of home comforts to the space.

On the ground floor, dominated by light, warm hues, a monumental mural drawing inspired by one of the original owner’s, Desmond Knox-Leet’s, landscapes captivates the attention as it dominates the fragrances counter, opposite a central custom-made table.

Also find in the store an area devoted to the art of skincare, of course, the perfumes and home scent as well as a crafted collection of beautiful homeware and décor objects. As ever, the store is a meeting of wanderlust wrapped in a womb of decadent scent.

One of the most iconic of Italian scent brands, Acqua Di Parma, presented Sunrise in the Orchard this season. Guests entered an installation that celebrated the simple joys of life. The boutique transformed into the atelier of Sicilian artisan Antonio Fratantoni in the orchard, bringing to life the spirit of Buongiorno. Buongiorno is an ode to the Italian Arte di Vivere, the exuberance of spring blooming in the Tuscan hills, the freedom of a barefoot stroll in the garden. 

At the heart of the installation, a large-size sun makes a statement. Surrounding it, ceramicist’s tools and sculptural details narrate the story of the artisanal technique in motion, accompanied by clay-filled sacks symbolic of the raw materials and transformative process behind Fratantoni’s creations. Elements inspired by basil and petitgrain, along with a curated green installation by Potafiori, enhance the space with textures and scent, inviting guests to experience an artistic tribute to everyday moments and the elegance of Buongiorno. Visitors can also book a guided tour and fragrance experience with a Brand Ambassador and Antonio Fratantoni at

Another exciting preview was the  Jil Sander Design Talks on Olfactory Series 1. An in-depth Design Talk was moderated by creative director and journalist Dan Thawley. The conversation explored the design and craft of the new Jil Sander fragrance collection, Olfactory Series 1, created together with five of the most talented emerging and established perfumers.

The Olfactory Series 1 fuses botany and technology in six minimalist, unisex formulas in which the olfactory marks of aldehydes cut across key natural ingredients, giving every unique fragrance shapes and volumes. More to come regarding exploring these incredible new perfumes when they launch in the UK later this year.

Brioni and Lalique joined forces to bring forth an objet d’art that embodies their shared commitment to artistry and craftsmanship. Unveiled to commemorate Brioni’s 80th anniversary, the limited-edition Dualité, Crystal Edition Perfume marks a defining moment in luxury design.

Limited to only 18 signed flacons, Dualité, Crystal Edition Perfume has been crafted in appreciation of multi-sensory sophistication for brand aficionados and art connoisseurs. A collaboration four years in the making between Brioni and Lalique, the collector’s piece is a testament to craftsmanship and the revival of lost arts. Conceptualised by Brioni Design Director Norbert Stumpfl and Lalique Artistic and Creative Director Marc Larminaux, this objet d’art explores the theme of duality, where elemental forces collide in perfect harmony.

After the sense of smell was exposed, next came touch with materials to explore to touch to admire. From tech brands to fashion brands, the emotion of texture against skin played large.

As part of Milan Design Week, Louis Vuitton unveiled its new LV Home Collections, revealed for the first time in the sumptuous setting of Palazzo Serbelloni. This event demonstrated Louis Vuitton’s growing presence in the design world through a display of its new Home Collections alongside original trunks and the now iconic Objets.

These limited-edition pieces celebrate the coming together of renowned artisans and contemporary design talents such as India Mahdavi, Patricia Urquiola and Estúdio Campana. In 2025, Louis Vuitton continues to explore the world of design and home decor as it opens a new chapter with the launch of its Home Collections.

Vivienne Fashionista Starlet Louis Vuitton SS25

A whole universe is dedicated to art de vivre for the very first time. Alongside Objets Nomades, the Louis Vuitton Home Collections are bringing together a new collection of furniture and lighting on an unprecedented scale, complete with decor lines, home textiles, tableware and unique games, merging the sensorial and the aesthetic, with pleasurably functional results.

Next, British-based Lara Bohinc from bohinc studio.com presented her tactile the elegant limited edition collection.  Anima, a sculptural collection, debuted at Alcova at Villa Bagatti Valsecc. Inspired by dreams of nature, which symbolise a desire for peace and balance, the silhouettes, defined by soft curves and twin peaks with a central dip, subtly echo natural landscapes while evoking the subconscious symbolism of lips, adding a poetic depth to their sculptural elegance.

At the heart of the collection are three upholstered seating pieces, the Anima Sofa, Armchair, and Occasional Chair, created in collaboration with Maison Phelippeau, a revered French upholstery house known for its artisanal expertise.

Handmade in London with a zero-carbon footprint, each piece is crafted entirely from natural materials, including Vanadium steel coils, horsehair, and wool, enveloped in pure alpaca wool by Inata, a sustainable French textile brand.

At the mega design space SuperDesign, this year celebrating 25 years showing at Solone, the Department of International Trade Promotion of Thailand (DITP) proudly presented the Slow Hand Design Exhibition 2025, a showcase of Thai creativity.
This year’s exhibition took on a new dimension through a special collaboration with the Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA) to introduce the groundbreaking FRONT100 initiative.

Image SuperDesign

Under the theme “Cutie Thai: Plaisir d’Amour”, the exhibition explored the pursuit of happiness in an era marked by global uncertainty. Climate-related disasters, such as the recent wildfires, highlight the need for responsible consumption and eco-conscious design. While society leans towards instant gratification, finding harmony between short-term pleasure and long-term sustainability remains essential.

Bamboo, rattan and silk lighting by Pitak Style Co., Ltd

Image SuperDesign

In the section Materially, exhibiting companies aimed to convey
complex concepts and processes related to sustainability measurement
and performance in a simple, precise, and engaging way. In this collection was a furniture collection from Poliuretano è by the leading Italian flexible polyurethane foam producers: Cires, Nir, Olmo, Orsa foam, Pelma, and Sip. The project aims to promote the potential of this material, exhibiting companies aimed to convey
complex concepts and processes related to sustainability measurement
and performance in a simple, precise, and engaging way.

In this collection was a furniture collection from Poliuretano è was also a big crowd pleaser with most people enjoying the comfort and colour on show.

Egg-citing chair-bed from Joey Ho for PAL design group Image SuperDesign

From the Debut of Hong Kong’s interior design industry “Urban Reflection” exhibition at Superdesign came the Egg-citing chair-bed from Joey Ho for PAL design group is a great way to make every day a little more joyful. Rock and see the sky or even watch TV.

Both sleep, rest and play are all part of the emotions we live by daily, and The SurfBench by Kim André Lange is designed to engage people in spaces with limited or no distractions, helping time pass more quickly. By encouraging users to explore the behaviour of the wave with their hands, the bench not only imparts valuable insights into physics but also sparks spontaneous dialogue between strangers.

When the user imparts movement onto the bench, they generate waves that mimic the physical behaviour of water. A robust mechanism evokes a smooth chain reaction across the behaviour of the wooden seat elements, continuing until the wave hits an obstacle and changes direction. Once all the introduced kinetic energy is expended, the wave returns to its motionless resting position.

Image SuperDesign

Lexus has shown for many years at Superdesign and this year they presented their concept car and three installations connected ot the steering panel known as the Black Butterfly. The cornerstone of their presentation was where AI and humans connect, a very important question for many across various channels. Read a full article on this amazing presentation here.

Mick By Niklas Jacob Image SuperDesign

And never forget laughter is the best medicine, so maybe Niklas Jacob’s Funnyture is just what you need. Here, colour tone and texture playfully sit with names taken literally, bringing a lighter side to the home.

Couch Potato and W Chair, Both by Niklas Jacob Image SuperDesign

Tree of Life by artist Carla Tolomeo drew inspiration from Borges’s Fantastic Zoology, developing it in the third dimension. Inhabited by phantasmagorical creatures, deduced from universal cosmogonies, it is a metaphor for existence that continually renews itself.

A work of art in progress that, like a tree, develops, grows, lives and dies. The multi-installations were entirely covered in fabric in it’s components, leaves, fruits, and animals. They have a supporting structure in iron and wood that guarantees stability, Eco-sustainable, regarding the choice of fabrics, the pieces are a tribute to Venetian and Italian textile craftsmanship.

Italian Marble company MagmaCeramiche Ceramics showed hand our sense of touch can go a little further with technology. The house showed a selection of marble options for kitchens, but also presented the development of work surfaces as power points.

Image by stroking your kitchen counter and being able to turn on your washing machine, oven, lighting, etc. A little insight into the future, quite remarkable.

And finally, from Superdesign Habits design presented Light Bites. The multidisciplinary industrial design studio presented an innovative
collection of interactive tableware that revolutionises the way we understand the culinary experience. They explored the intersection of design, technology and gastronomy.

The tableware, equipped with sensors and integrated light sources, reacts to the food and the gestures of the diners, creating a magical and engaging atmosphere. The light, which changes colour and intensity based on the food and movements, becomes a key element of the experience, inviting a more conscious and contemplative enjoyment of food. The act of eating, a perfect expression of cultural
identity, is enriched with a new perceptive dimension where light suggests a silent, contemplative and conscious enjoyment.

All around the city of Milan, the themes of touch, taste, sound, sight, and smell continued to be explored.

Asus took visitors on a physical journey, partnering with Studio INI for a landmark sensory-driven installation called Design You Can Feel. It explored the themes of materiality, craftsmanship and artificial intelligence. Inspired by their latest Zenbook laptops, Asus’ trademarked Ceraluminum material will feature as part of the installation. It explored Asus Design Thinking, showcasing how innovation and craftsmanship create devices that let users truly experience design they can feel. 

 This installation brought to life the experimental design and research practice founded by London and Athens-based artist, engineer, and designer Nassia Inglessis. Embodying the exhibition’s core themes of materiality, craftsmanship, and AI, a large-scale kinetic sculpture provided an interactive experience where visitors influenced their surroundings through movement.

Housed beneath the curved glass ceiling of Galleria Meravigli, the installation dynamically responded to visitors as they walked through it, revealing and concealing space through fluid movement with seamless undulating motion. 

Ferragamo unveiled an immersive experience that celebrated Tramezza, the quintessential embodiment of artisanal mastery and contemporary innovation, at its Men’s boutique on Via Montenapoleone.

A striking red scenographic installation sets the stage for a compelling dialogue between tradition and modernity. Authentic tools and exquisite materials showcase the brand’s unparalleled craftsmanship, while vertical displays immerse visitors in a curated narrative that highlights Ferragamo’s artisanal savoir-faire.

During the presentation a master artisan demonstrated the intricate steps involved in crafting the Maison’s iconic men’s shoes.

Loewe Teapots confronted visitors with the simple idea of global drinking rituals. A collection of teapots specially developed by 25 artists, designers and architects was on show. It was the ninth exhibition at the international furniture fair, which enabled the brand to venture into creative experiments with artists, expanding on generations of design and craft knowledge.



Each artist took a unique approach to the teapot. Together, the works reimagine the vessel’s sculptural form, drawing on the varied and rich traditions of tea making and culture found around the world. While many of the artists choose to work with mediums traditionally associated with teapots, including porcelain and ceramic, they had each taken a different approach to the treatment of their materials.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a selection of homewares produced for Salone, including coasters made from woven leather, tea cosies, and a selection of leather botanical charms, featuring camomile, strawberries, bergamot flowers and teabags. All of these items are available exclusively at Palazzo Citterio, Milan.

London-based accessories brand Completedworks debuted its first furniture collection during Salone Del Mobile at Alcova. The new pieces were showcased at Villa Borsani B12, originally the study of architect and designer Osvaldo Borsani and a site of rigorous architectural experimentation.

British brand Completedworks new collection recontextualises motifs found in their popular jewellery and ceramic pieces. Consisting of 10 unique pieces, Completedworks furniture explored the deception of materials, with hard bronze and clay forms imitating the visual properties of other, more supple materials such as knotted fabric, foam, or even elaborately layered cakes, at once celebratory and transient. The works become a frozen gesture, a capturing of movement, playing with the viewer’s visual expectations.

“Traditional designs are often associated with certain rules, expectations of permanence and solidity, whereas our pieces have this visual element of being in transition, which I really enjoy. I also love the idea that a piece is beautiful but has a slight strangeness to it – that it invites you to take a second look to try to fully understand what’s going on”. 

Anna Jewsbury, Artistic Director of Completedworks

The collection features a chair and low table or footstool in cast bronze with a pale stone patina, and a console, stool, and coffee table made from clay, wood, and polystyrene in a silver nitrate mirror finish. Polystyrene pieces are hand-built and sculpted, while bronze pieces are modelled in fabric and re-created in metal through lost-wax casting, a traditional technique similarly used in jewellery making. Metallic patinas give a dream-like quality, while delicate bows, a continued motif in the brand’s handbag collection, hint at a tension between restraint and embellishment.

Italian fashion legend Fiorucci and Swiss audio innovators Hidden Sound teamed up to unveil an exclusive Limited Edition Hidden EVO sound system. The inspiration behind this unique creation comes from Fiorucci’s electrifying exhibition at the Triennale Milano, which honours the legacy of Elio Fiorucci, the original trendsetter who revolutionised fashion, lifestyle, and contemporary art in Italy.

In days gone by, their iconic concept stores were more than just retail spaces; they were cultural hubs where music, fashion, and art collided. Now, Fiorucci’s Creative Director Francesca Murri has created 58 unique artworks, inspired by the Fiorucci archive, to customise 58 exclusive Hidden EVO sets, one for each year from Fiorucci’s foundation to today’s Limited Edition. Each piece is numbered and signed, making it an essential collector’s item for art lovers, design enthusiasts, and serious music fans alike.

Whilst in the poetic cloisters of San Simpliciano, Gucci’s ode to bamboo felt both ancient and futuristic, as if nature’s resilience were whispered into the walls themselves. An exhibition celebrating the enduring legacy of bamboo in the House’s design history and identity. 

The installations reinterpret bamboo through sculptural and textile interventions; woven panels, pliable frames, and tactile compositions merging craft with concept. The materiality is as expressive as it is refined: raw yet regal, lightweight yet anchored in legacy. Each designer re-envisions bamboo not as a relic, but a pliable muse ripe for radical storytelling.

Nike presented their latest shoe. The PanX Nike Air Max 180 Nix embodied the evolution of electronic music culture. An artefact of past club nights and a vision of those yet to come, marked by the patina of countless hours of movement on the dance floor.

Nike also presented “The Suspended Hour”, a spatial intervention that took place at Capsule Plaza. The experience explored club culture as a sacred space, reimagining its ritualistic environment as a fragmented recollection of a night out. The installation, developed in collaboration with Sub under the creative direction of Niklas Bildstein Zaar and Bill Kouligas (of Pan, contemporary record label), unfolded as a memory-infused design—an ephemeral imprint, a topographical map of movement, where motion leaves lasting resonance.

Suspended in air, a custom sonic sculpture played a one-hour composition by PAN founder Bill Kouligas. Visitors discovered the emotional phases of a club night—Anticipation, Discovery, Euphoria, Twilight, and Solitude—as the sonic composition, spatial design, lighting, and atmosphere blur the line between memory and prophecy.

 

To introduce the project globally, PAN and Nike collaborated with renowned Japanese photographer Momo Okabe, known for her unfiltered imagery that captures intimacy, identity, and the passage of time. The campaign features some of the most forward-thinking artists from PAN’s roster: Arca, a genre-defying musician reshaping the future of pop; Eartheater, an experimental artist and legendary performer; Le Diouck, a multidisciplinary rapper pushing sonic boundaries; and Bill Kouligas himself.

Less Noise at MSGM presented a project conceived by KoozArch (research studio and platform for critical architectural discourse) at the intersection of design, fashion and publishing, which aimed to carve out a space for slower, more conscious reflection to counter the frenzy of Milan Design Week. In this context, the book takes centre stage not only as a design object, but as a vehicle for ideas and research.

KoozArch brought together a careful curation of printed matter and a chorus of inspiring voices from culture, design and fashion. Quite literally, framing this experience is the Anfibio, the iconic sofa designed by Alessandro Becchi for the historic brand Giovannetti. Its various configurations have inspired the structure of the talk series, eschewing the traditional audience setting to foster a more intimate and horizontal dialogue between speakers and visitors.

Hommes design Studio was born from a skilled merger of visionary identities with distinctive design, art, fashion, and pop culture perspectives. The design studio is in unceasing creative evolution and mutation, branching out new brands and forms of expression.

Hommes Studio returned to Milan Design Week with
Tapis Studio showcasing Echoes, an immersive new collection merging multiple concepts to present a new world. 

With the power of AI, generative design, and augmented reality, each piece evolvesadapting and transforming within diverse spaces and interactions, offering new dimensions of experience. Echoes redefines the boundaries of design by embracing movement, transformation, and multidimensionality.

As well as many fashion brands being present, so was the world of cinema. Spanish Director Pedro Almodóvar, a leading figure in world cinema, stands out for his unique style, his flamboyant visual universe, centred on colour, emotions and flamboyant visual narratives.

Roche Bobois and Pedro Almodóvar came together in Milan to present an unprecedented collaboration. As well as an exclusive capsule collection signed by his muse, Rossy de Palma.

The Lounge modular sofa, designed by Hans Hopfer and reissued specially for this occasion, is a key piece of the collaboration that retraces the film director’s graphic, aesthetic universe. It features iconic images and posters of his films: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown/ Volver /Broken Embraces / Talk to her /Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! /High Heels / The Flower of my Secret. A manifesto of both art and design, the sofa is limited to 50 pieces, numbered and signed by Pedro Almodóvar.

In addition to the limited edition, the Lounge sofa is reissued in a plain fabric version, true to the spirit of the original 1971 design. Lacquered stirrups, available in several colours or tone-on-tone, frame the arrangement. The Rondo china unit spotlights four images
from the director’s graphic universe. Three film posters: Ataque – Tacones – Mujeres, and a reproduction of a photograph by
Pedro Almodóvar. Also find rugs and cushions in this collection, all with the same vibrant colourful energy.

Rossy de Palma has, alongside her acting career, long cultivated her personal artistic interests at the intersection of theatre, music, the visual arts, fashion, and design. Through this collaboration with Roche Bobois, Rossy de Palma once again showcases her wide-ranging talent and demonstrates her singular skill as a multifaceted artist.

Studio Waldemeyer returned to Rossana Orlandi Gallery with a new iteration of its iconic chandelier, reimagined under the title Étoiles en Feu.

Known for its poetic fusion of technology, craftsmanship, and light narrative, the studio distils complexity into emotion through material and flame. In this latest piece, 35 suspended candles shimmer between star-shaped glass elements, forming a celestial composition—an intimate constellation frozen in motion. Étoiles en Feu embodies Studio Waldemeyer’s signature approach: blending silence and spectacle, history and innovation, to create luminous objects that evoke wonder and memory in equal measure.

glo™ – “Hyper Portal” by Michela Picchi presented a vivid glo phantasmagoria of colour and illusion It invited visitors into an immersive chromatic dimension where invisible technology danced behind a playful surrealist skin. Pop-inspired textiles and psychedelic hues echoed digital dreams, while soft surfaces and interactive pathways react intuitively to motion and sound.

The installation, housed in a neoclassical setting, builds a layered tension between old-world grandeur and synthetic fantasy. Emotional resonance is achieved through tactility; floors that pulse, walls that shimmer, and visual elements that stretch the senses into a hyper-connected realm.

In a raw, industrial warehouse, Highsnobiety presented a celebration of obsessive craftsmanship where tactile nostalgia met hyper-modern edge. Deconstructed classics came alive through layered textiles, modular displays, and sensory staging; an open canvas for nerdy precision and curated cool.

Draped fabrics, custom-printed panels, and sculptural garments redefine iconic silhouettes with an unapologetically human touch. Emotion coded in every fold and finish: a love letter to the objects that outlive trends.

Isola’s exhibition Design is Human at BasicVillage echoed a material poetics; conscious design expressed through local textures, hand-worked finishes, and digitally augmented details. In “Conscious Objects,” tactile minimalism met emotional intention, from recycled textile panels to sculpted felt partitions.

The festival wove a narrative of care and consideration, where every seam and surface becomes a site of connection. Design here is less a product than a gesture; delicate, empathetic, and profoundly human.

A luminous sculpture suspended in thought, Luminora Light by Cristina Celestino, selected by Moooi, flirted with the intangible; geometry turned gentle, light rendered tactile.

Celestino merged Murano-inspired elegance with the golden ratio’s quiet logic, wrapping optical LED tubes in V-cut diamond patterns that glow like woven glass. The effect is both cerebral and sensual: a floating poem in light and shadow, catching breath with each flicker. Its flexible form adapts like couture lighting; ornamental, emotional, and entirely sculptural.

Google’s installation, Making the Invisible Visible, at Garage 21 transformed light and fluid dynamics into a meditative, near-sacred choreography. Lachlan Turczan’s water-driven optics rippled across space, creating patterns that evoke digital synapses in motion.

Though devoid of traditional textiles, the experience was immersive and material in its own right, an architecture of reflection, where sound, light and vibration wove together to create emotional resonance. The invisible becomes tactile, and technology becomes something you feel, not just observe.

At Archiproducts Milano,  Aria. A Medium for Connection, by Studiopepe. A soft symphony of surfaces and air, Studiopepe’s installation flowed like silk through the senses. Here, light became a textile; draped, sculpted, and diffused, casting ethereal shadows across vibrational walls and shifting volumes.

The experience was almost synaesthetic: colours hum, shapes breathe, and the materials seem to dissolve into sensation. With each layer, a different connection was revealed, like the ghost of a fabric brushed against the skin.

British iconic brand Tom Dixon unveiled his AW25 lighting collection, a harmonious blend of innovation and artistry. The collection introduced the ‘soft’ and ‘whirl’ lines, each showcasing Dixon’s signature approach to design. ‘Soft’ featured luminaires with gentle contours and diffused illumination, evoking a sense of calm and serenity. In contrast, ‘whirl’ presented dynamic forms with swirling patterns, capturing movement and energy in static objects.

These new designs complemented the existing ‘melt’ series, which received updates in finish and form, further enhancing its molten, otherworldly aesthetic.  Dixon’s AW25 collection stood as a testament to his ability to fuse functional design with emotional resonance, offering pieces that are as much art as they are illumination.​

Last but not least London-based SCP celebrated 40 Years of Design at 44 Spazio in George Sowden’s idiosyncratic Brera showroom; an oasis of colour, light, and layered texture, where the past and future of British design met in quiet dialogue.

Upholstered pieces in brushed wool, washed linen, and undyed cotton invited a sensory stillness, with deep cushions, piped edges, and exposed seams acting as soft-spoken statements of sustainability.

The exhibition felt domestic yet elevated: a celebration of tactility, proportion and restraint, where each curve and join whispered decades of craftsmanship.

Masebo for SCP, Boxed Collection

Sowden Club chair

The revived ‘Boxed Collection’ was a study in intelligent reduction; stools, coffee tables and wall hooks rendered in honest materials like oiled oak, powder-coated steel, and even recycled composites, each packed with personality despite their modest scale. SCP’s presence was both a reflective gesture and a fresh provocation: a brand that has aged into relevance, always with its hand on the pulse of tactile innovation.

In the hushed elegance of Via Carducci, Frag’s ‘Frag Goes Materic’ 2025 presentation unfolded like a material symphony; an ode to tactility and timeless form. The reimagined ‘Clubby ‘chair by Christophe Pillet anchored the space with its Parisian charm, now adapted for dining with newly proportioned curves and cloaked in richly woven fabrics that balanced nostalgia with innovation.

Image by Lara Bohinc x Uniqka

Leather, suede, and finely grained travertine played across surfaces like quiet luxuries; each chosen not for show, but for soul. Frag’s ongoing research into texture and tone reaffirmed its position not only as a curator of refined aesthetics but as a conductor of emotional resonance through material.

This year, Driade’s return to the heart of the city feels like one of those rare moments where vision becomes space. Nestled within a boldly reimagined setting by architect Giuliano Andrea Dell’Uva, the installation is less an exhibition and more an experience, where steel, wire mesh, and bursts of colour weave through memory and modernity. And at the centre of it all, one name surfaces like a signature in the ether: Philippe Starck.

Starck’s reunion with Driade brings a dual offering that pulses with quiet intensity. His Neoneoz collection, a refined evolution of the original Neoz series from 1997, reclaims the vocabulary of classic elegance with new materials and a sculptural sense of weightlessness.

This is not nostalgia. It is a renewal. Starck’s pieces, surrounded by works from Färg & Blanche, Guillaume Bloget, and Marie et Alexandre, underscore what Driade has always done best: inhabit the space between the tactile and the poetic. A celebration of matter, silhouette, and time, where the future of form is anything but silent.

What is design with a sense of the human being involved? nothing. Now more than ever before, as technology changes our world, we are finally beginning to get the message that we must include ourselves in this journey. From the Industrial Revolution to our new AI world, what matters at its centre is our planet and, of course, us. Love, live and wallow in the joy of this intersection, this interaction and emotion in everything we do.

If you enjoyed reading Milan: Revealing See How Our Senses Meet Emotional Design, then why not read an in-depth article from Salone del Mobile Lexus in Milan, The Machine and Human as One.

.Cent Magazine London. Be Inspired;Get Involved