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Every April, Milan becomes the beating heart of global design, with the city transforming into a playground for innovation, creativity, and unapologetic beauty during Salone del Mobile and Fuorisalone. This week-long event –revered in the worlds of architecture, interiors, and product design – is more than just a trade fair; it’s a celebration of aesthetics and artistry that spills beyond the fairgrounds and into the historic palazzi, lush courtyards, and iconic streets of Milan, transforming the city into an open-air museum.
While Salone is beloved by interior design aficionados, the fashion world has increasingly staked its claim in the conversation – and 2025 proves why. This year, the biggest luxury Maisons made unforgettable statements with immersive exhibitions, exclusive launches, and captivating home collections that bridge couture with craftsmanship. As Milan buzzes with international creatives, tastemakers, and design lovers, GRAZIA brings you a look at the standout fashion-led experiences redefining design week this year.
ARMANI / CASA: A Window Into the Soul of Craft
Walking into the Armani / Casa boutique on Corso Venezia felt like stepping into a sacred space. For the brand’s 25th anniversary, Giorgio Armani unveiled the Oriental Inks collection during Milan Design Week 2025 in a tribute to Milan, Japanese interiors, and his lifelong dedication to refined design. Wandering past towering rice paper walls and shimmering velvet upholstery, all the pieces told a story — one woven with metallic threads, golden dragons, and hand-embroidered fabrics that echoed couture-level detail. Each piece was more than furniture — it was a vessel of narrative.
DOLCE & GABBANA CASA: Art Nouveau Meets Nature
Split between Via Durini and Corso Venezia, Dolce & Gabbana Casa felt like a villa caught between eras. The Verde Maiolica room pulsed with energy, its walls and bed linens exploding in bold green and white. Meanwhile, the Gotham line brought a cinematic contrast: dark wood, hammered textures, and touches of Art Nouveau in every curve. It was maximalism, but with incredible control.
ETRO: A Journey Woven in Paisley
Etro’s exhibition, 5 Threads, 40 Years, unfolded like an intimate pilgrimage through the soul of the house. Located at the Via Pontaccio boutique, the dark, softly lit rooms immersed visitors in the emotional legacy of the Arnica fabric. The path was quiet, contemplative — even reverent. What moved me most were the mementos from the brand’s archive: suitcases, sketches, swatches. It felt like reading a love letter to Italian craftsmanship — told in their iconic paisley.
FENDI CASA: Modular Meets Monumental
In Fendi’s Piazza della Scala boutique,the quiet majesty of the Later modular sofa and the raw elegance of the Efo wood pieces would no doubt draw you in. Textures ruled here: stone, wool, metal. Fendi’s vision leaned into contrasts — masculine and soft, structured and freeform. It was refined but lived-in, the kind of luxury that whispers instead of shouts.
GUCCI: A Symphony of Bamboo and Storytelling
Stepping into the Chiostri di San Simpliciano, Gucci’s Bamboo Encounters felt like walking through a curated poem. The historic cloister was transformed into a living archive of innovation and nostalgia, where bamboo — a material so central to Gucci’s legacy — was reimagined by a global roster of artists. Each piece carried emotional weight, from Anton Alvarez’s towering bamboo sculpture to the ethereal screen by Nathalie Du Pasquier. The sensory layers were sublime — silk panels billowing in a breeze, soft light glinting off resin structures, and bamboo kites swaying as though caught in an eternal draft.
HERMÈS: The Art of Aura and Intention
At La Pelota, Hermès constructed a dreamlike stage of nearly colorless suspended boxes that pulsed with a glow from within. It was minimal and profound — a study in light, space, and emotion. It was a maze of porcelain, lacquer, and handwoven textiles, the absence of colour was noticeable in the surroundings which allowed each object to assert its presence of colour with confidence. The Pivot side table was a masterclass in whimsy and balance, while the En Contrepoint dinnerware displayed how geometry and watercolor could harmonize with absolute precision.
JIL SANDER: Minimalism for the Senses
The Jil Sander flagship was transformed into an immersive olfactory chamber during Milan Design Week 2025, where visitors were invited to step inside a plexiglass installation echoing the shape of the brand’s new fragrance bottles. Inside, soft lighting and scent trails created an atmosphere that was both calming and invigorating. At the center stood six fragrances — Leaf, Miel, Black Tea, Earth, Coffea, and Smoke — each as refined and enigmatic as the brand’s design ethos. The in-store talk hosted by Dan Thawley alongside perfumer Julie Massé and Formafantasma added intellectual depth to the experience, giving insight into the journey from raw material to iconic bottle.
JIMMY CHOO x CROSBY STUDIOS: Fashion in a Frozen Frame
Designed by Harry Nuriev of Crosby Studios, the Jimmy Choo flagship on Via Sant’Andrea became a glass-encased gallery where shoes were displayed like a dream closet frozen in time. The installation was anchored in a question: What does it mean for design to be timeless? The space blurred the line between commercial store and conceptual art piece. The opening night cocktail, co-hosted by Sandra Choi and Nuriev, brought the narrative full circle — transforming the space into a surrealist salon of fashion, form, and future.
LOEWE: A Sculptural Ode to Tea and Time
Inside the magnificent Palazzo Citterio, Loewe’s Teapots exhibition invited visitors to consider the teapot as more than a vessel. With contributions from 25 artists and designers, the collection spanned stoneware, porcelain, and experimental glazes. Each piece was more expressive than the last — some distorted, some delicate, some bordering on surreal.
LORO PIANA x DIMOREMILANO: Cinema, Sound, and Sophistication
Stepping through the courtyard of Loro Piana’s Cortile della Seta, you were immediately transported into a film set-like dreamscape. La Prima Notte di Quiete — a collaboration with Dimoremilano — blurred the line between installation and immersive theater. Plush velvet, leopard-print carpeting, brass lamps, and a haunting original soundtrack by Nicola Guiducci created a tension between stillness and sensation. Every corner revealed a new hauntingly beautiful masterpiece: from the Valsesia oval table to the Locarno cabinet, upholstered in Loro Piana’s legendary textiles. Even the dining table was set with Punti a Maglia porcelain so intricate it looked like embroidery in ceramic form.
LOUIS VUITTON: The Maison Becomes a Home
Inside the grandeur of Palazzo Serbelloni, Louis Vuitton’s Home Collections were a revelation. It felt like exploring an avant-garde mansion where every room pulsed with color, creativity, and a touch of fantasy. From Patricia Urquiola’s curvaceous armchairs to the limited-edition Cocoon Couture Boitata by Estúdio Campana, every object was infused with joy and audacity. Pharrell’s pinball machine added playful levity to the experience — a reminder that design can be deeply luxurious and still fun.
MISSONI: A House of Color and Craft
Missoni’s new home boutique on Via Solferino instantly enveloped me in warmth and whimsy. Signature zigzags and vibrant jacquards lined the walls, while plush textures spilled over chairs, throws, and dinnerware. Missoni’s La Casa Giardino collaboration with Roda unfolded like a summer dream — textiles merged with sunshine dancing across outdoor living in five jacquard patterns. One of the most delightful surprises is the vibrant Missoni takeover at the Principe Bar in Hotel Principe di Savoia. The space is swathed in the house’s iconic patterns, and paired with a Malfy Gin x Missoni cocktail collaboration, it is a must-visit oasis for design and fashion lovers alike, open all month long.
MIU MIU: A Literary Encounter With Girlhood and Desire
At the Circolo Filologico Milanese, thought-provoking conversations were being held aloud to a hushed audience. Miu Miu’s Literary Club felt unlike anything else during the week — soulful, smart, and deeply feminine. Simone de Beauvoir’s The Inseparables and Fumiko Enchi’s The Waiting Years set the tone for panel talks that peeled back the layers of female identity, friendship, and power. It wasn’t just a talk — it was a communion.
PRADA: Infrastructure as Storytelling
Prada’s In Transit symposium — curated by Formafantasma — was staged across the Padiglione Reale and a restored 1950s Arlecchino train. Panellists explored how power structures, digital systems, and supply chains impact our everyday lives. The conversations were rich and at times unsettling — a needed reminder that design is political.
ROBERTO CAVALLI HOME: Nevada Heat Meets Italian Glam
Called Glowing Reflections, the collection referenced the raw beauty of the Nevada desert and the glitter of Las Vegas nightlife. Earth-toned velvets, Red Jasper marble, and sculptural sofas captured this dual inspiration with style and sensuality. It felt immersive — music pulsed, cocktails flowed, and the lighting danced across walls and glowing ceramics. The whole thing was dramatic in a way only Cavalli could pull off.
SAINT LAURENT x CHARLOTTE PERRIAND: Midcentury, Reborn
The Saint Laurent exhibition at Padiglione Visconti was striking in its restraint. Anthony Vaccarello curated a quiet but commanding tribute to Charlotte Perriand, unveiling four pieces that had only ever existed as sketches or prototypes. The space felt reverent, modern, and deeply architectural. Perriand’s work — especially the Bibliothèque Rio de Janeiro and the Table Mille-Feuilles — was brought to life with precision and care. There was a certain magic in seeing them fully realized for the first time, in a room so elegantly silent you could hear your own breath.
TOD’S: The Craft of Culture
The Tod’s boutique was alive with storytelling, thanks to Italian Hands — a book and installation celebrating the artisans who shape Italy’s legacy. From Murano glass to brass sculpture, the exhibits highlighted real human hands behind the Gommino. Michelle Yeoh’s foreword brought heart to an already emotional journey. Seeing the exclusive Gommino editions firsthand, you couldn’t help but feel proud of Italy’s artistry.
