Photo by Francesco Dolfo
Milan and great design go together like spaghetti and a glass of Chianti: A match so natural, it’s hard to imagine one without the other. But while many associate the city with time-honored landmarks like Duomo di Milano and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan Design Week invites us to contemplate what’s next. Which trends are on the horizon? And, especially this year, how will innovations in other sectors seep their way into the design industry?
From cutting-edge technology to nostalgic nods to yesteryear, this year’s festivities were a careful study of the intersection of style and time. Here, the best moments from 2026 Milan Design Week:
SMEG’s Robo-Demo
(Photo Credit: Courtesy of 1X.)
Though artificial intelligence is a hot-button issue in many design communities, SMEG made a case for its pragmatism at Salone del Mobile’s Eurococina. The appliance brand enlisted NEO — a consumer-ready, humanoid robot from 1X — during its live cooking demonstration. From handling ingredients to operating equipment, the showcase found a healthy balance between form, function, and the future.
DEDON
With summer right around the corner, it might be best to take your bright ideas outside. Enter The Others, a series of modular outdoor lanterns designer Stephen Burks crafted for DEDON. Here, a trio of pigmented DEDON fibers is hand-woven onto a powder-coated aluminum frame. “We wanted to make them a kind of family,” says Burks. “So they’re similarly woven, but each unique.” Meanwhile, a new smart lumen LED system makes this adaptable fixture au courant.
Gaggenau
At Presence, Gaggenau’s installation on view at Villa Necchi Campiglio, cutting-edge technology reaches the home’s culinary corners. The wine cabinets in the Vario Cooling Expressive Series boast the Sommelier Sensor, a first-of-its-kind innovation to automatically bring each bottle to its optimal temperature. Meanwhile, Gaggenau’s refrigerators feature the Professional Freshness System, which motorized dampers create distinct microclimates for each drawer.
Bang & Olufsen
Sound and style come together in perfect harmony with the Beosound Haven, Bang & Olufsen’s latest offering that was on view during Milan Design Week. Designed in partnership with Antolini, an Italian company best known for its stone, the new outdoor sound system feels one with nature. “It interacts with materials and forms an atmosphere, creating a refined sense of place that is both subtle and powerful,” explains Kresten Bjørn Krab-Bjerre, Bang & Olufsen’s senior director of design. “It reflects our ambition to find new ways for sound to enrich the experience: Not only as something you hear, but as something you truly feel.”
FLOS
The stars aligned for Nocturne, a lighting lineup Konstantin Grcic crafted for FLOS. As the latest evolution of his popular Noctambule collection, Nocturne was largely inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. “The name Nocturne is inspired by the subtle glow of the moon, casting both focused and ambient light to create an ethereal atmosphere,” Grcic adds. “Made from blown borosilicate glass, Nocturne combines the delicate poetry of glass with the precise logic of aluminium extrusions.” With a modular system and advanced LED technology — which casts both a focused and ambient glow — the sky is the limit.
Cassina x Patricia Urquiola
Times change — and so do your furniture needs. The good news? Ardys, a furniture collaboration between Patricia Urquiola and Cassina, will future-proof your home. The collection comprises a bubbly two- and three-seater configuration as well as an armchair and pouf, which can be connected through a custom, snap-on joint. And thanks to its sumptuous and eco-conscious upholstery, the result is equal parts practical and tactile.
Poltrana Frau
What makes furniture an instant classic? Poltrana Frau’s True Over Time collection shows it’s the ability to be passed down to different generations without losing its sense of self. From the Archibald Sofa System, a modular solution with the same look and feel as the namesake chair, to the femininity of Faye Toogood’s LieLow bedroom wares, these offerings are built to transcend time and trend.
Kelly Wearstler H&M HOME
H&M Home gave a sneak peek of its partnership with acclaimed designer Kelly Wearstler — and it’s poised to become the most-anticipated fall launch. The nine curated works on view at Palazzo Acerbi offered an assortment of well-appointed items that could easily adapt to the everyday. “This collaboration with Kelly Wearstler is about exploring how design can shape the way we live, through pieces that are both expressive and adaptable,” Evelina Kravaev-Söderberg, H&M HOME’s head of design and creative, shared in a press statement. Mark your calendars: The full, 29-piece collection will be available on September 3, 2026.
Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.