Milan Design Week is ready to begin, and we’re here to find out what the vibe is. Tuesday marked the start of the Salone del Mobile 2025, running until 13 April. This major event, which focuses on design and furniture, kicks off at the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre and will unveil this year’s latest innovations. But there’s more. Alongside the Salone, the curtain rises on the biennial Euroluce, SaloneSatellite, Fuorisalone, and Milano Moda Design — a series of exhibitions, installations, and launches that spill out into the city centre. And leather, as always, will take centre stage. From Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades to Prada Frames, and Gucci’s contributions in between, the Salone del Mobile has become a global showcase.
The feel of leather
Thirty-eight events and twenty-nine brands: these are the numbers behind Milano Moda Design, which once again celebrates the close relationship between fashion and design — including countless home collections. Louis Vuitton, for instance, unveiled its Objets Nomades exhibition, a series of design objects created by some of the world’s top designers for the house. The brand also debuted its new Home Collection, which includes a leather armchair complete with zip and golden lock — a nod to its iconic trunks. The Bridge is teaming up with lighting brand Zafferano to present a leather-covered lampshade, hand-dyed along the edge and stitched by hand. Gucci, meanwhile, is highlighting its bamboo legacy with the Gucci | Bamboo Encounters exhibition.
Something for everyone
Saint Laurent is behind one of the most anticipated events: Saint Laurent – Charlotte Perriand, an exhibition curated by Anthony Vaccarello, who has brought to life four original sketches drawn by the French architect between 1943 and 1967. The pieces — a bookshelf, a sofa, a coffee table, and leather-covered seating — were never previously realised, and are now being produced in a limited edition by the French maison. Masoni Industria Conciaria will debut a collection of classic, soft, and natural leathers dedicated to interior design. Prada also returns with Prada Frames, a series of talks exploring the intersection of design, culture, and society. The 2025 edition, titled In Transit, will focus on movement, mobility, and infrastructure. Talks will be held in two iconic locations: aboard the Arlecchino train (originally designed by Gio Ponti) and in the Royal Pavilion.
Salone and Fuorisalone
This year’s theme for the Salone del Mobile is Connected Worlds — a nod to the blending of disciplines and experiences. The fair will host a wide variety of events. Academy Award-winning director Paolo Sorrentino, for example, will open La dolce attesa at Fiera Milano Rho — a reflective space where visitors can pause, breathe, and rediscover the beauty of passing time. Meanwhile, American director Bob Wilson is behind Mother, an installation at the Castello Sforzesco where he reimagines Michelangelo’s Pietà. British artist Es Devlin contributes to Library of Light, a site-specific installation featuring over 2,000 books that form a circular luminous library — a space designed to host discussions and encounters.
Photos: Saint Laurent and The Bridge
Read also:
