Milan Unpacked: Exploring the Heart of Design Week with Dana Tomić Hughes.

Hello friends,

I’m thrilled to present the Milan Unpacked 2024 report in partnership with Space Furniture, a three-part treasure trove of insight and visual inspiration from the world’s biggest design events—Milan Design Week and Salone Del Mobile. Expect to see a survey of Installations & Experiences, including contributions from Heritage brands and Fashion houses, Group shows like Alcova, Dropcity, Baranzate Ateliers & Capsule Plaza, Material explorations by twelve designers and brands, and a showcase of products from major and independent brands and galleries.

If you know me well, you won’t be surprised to hear this report is quite comprehensive—epic, in fact. We split it into three parts to give you the chance to absorb and enjoy it fully. This is your exclusive opportunity to delve deep into the world of Milan Design Week 2024. Jump on More Space, where you can access Volume 01 of Milan Unpacked now, focusing on installations and experiences. Volumes 02 and 03 will drop every two weeks.

On top of Duomo di Milano. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Most of you know me as a seasoned Milan attendee with deep connections to the city who’s been reporting on Salone del Mobile extensively for over a decade. I don’t attend the event for myself but rather to absorb it then make it available to a bigger audience. My extensive experience and broad perspective on Design Week allow me to glean unique insights. I don’t merely look at products; I absorb the big picture, observe the energy, and read the sentiments behind the shows, always on the lookout for fresh thinking and new ideas.

Designers play a crucial role in responding to the complex world we live in, creating objects, spaces, and places of longevity. As the years go by, this collective responsibility only grows. By accessing the Milan Unpacked 2024 report, you’re not just gaining insights, you’re contributing to the creation of a better world through design. This is what drives me to do what I do.

The undeniable charm and magnetism of Milan are impossible to resist. Design week consumes the city, and it’s easy to become seduced by the palpable energy, crazy beautiful palazzos, and the romance of reconnecting with old friends and making new ones while bumping into your design heroes around every corner. To quote a friend of mine, it’s just like Design Christmas!

This is enough to make anyone forget the cyclone of chaos that comes with Design Week—traffic congestion, long queues, and the overwhelming scale of events that only seem to grow, inducing major FOMO. There’s also the solemn backdrop of global wars, unprecedented human suffering, the escalating cost of living… Not to mention the irony of attending the biggest global event responsible for adding more stuff to an already overstuffed world. It’s a lot to reconcile. Max Fraser from Dezeen wrote an excellent piece, “Has Milan design week become a victim of its own popularity?” which is probably the best analysis of the week I’ve seen.

Our ‘Milan warmup’ was an afternoon spent at the always brilliant Fondazione Prada.

Some of my favourite shows from the week shared common traits—a strong point of view, sharp curation, a sense of curiosity and humanity, and a commitment to restoring the importance of materials and craftsmanship, representing values beyond individual objects. Back-to-origin-type stuff. Interestingly, none of my favourites were particularly ‘Instagrammable’. Perfect, if you ask me because you just had to be there to fully appreciate their brilliance or have the discipline to look beyond the superficial, a skill many of us seem to have lost. (In case you’re wondering, I’m talking about WonderPowder at Dropcity, the Korean Craft Show at Rossana Orlandi and the almighty Hermes at La Pelota.)

I also loved seeing so many material-focused exhibitions and radical explorations of resources, like Hydra 100R’s cool take on post-consumer aluminium and Dzek’s iteration of linoleum tiles derived from linseed oil, developed with Christien Meindertsma. I think the reason material explorations really land right now is summed up so well by Dzek, stating: “21st-century materials have an environmental mandate that their 19th-century predecessors did not. A tangible design emergency calls on us to reconsider every part of the built environment in order to reduce the human impact on climate.” Amen.

What I’m sharing with you here is just the tip of the iceberg. We haven’t even touched on the strong Australian contingent in Milan this year (proud face), immersive installations and experiences, group shows and galleries brimming with talent, and exciting new products.

To see and read much more, Milan Unpacked 2024 is live on More Space. Access Volume 01 now, with Volumes 02 and 03 released every fortnight. And enjoy the visual diary of the week that was via Nick’s photos below.

Grazie mille,

Mama Yellowtrace X

This Yellowtrace Promotion is supported by Space Furniture. Like everything we do, our partner content is carefully curated to maintain the utmost relevance to our audience. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Yellowtrace.

DISCOVER MORE

Team Yellowtrace at Milan Design Week 2024. Our son Luka was keen to take some photos during the week, an example of which is the portrait on the right. This shot is unedited and straight out of the camera. Not bad, huh?

Entry to Veuve Clicquot’s Emotions of the Sun exhibition, designed by Constance Guisset. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Emotions of the Sun unveiled Maison Veuve Clicquot’s partnership with the iconic Magnum Photos agency. ‘Emotions of the Sun’ is a touring photographic celebration of a universal symbol of joy and optimism, with Eight Magnum photographers delivering their free, personal interpretations on the subject. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

I caught up with the gorgeous French designer Constance Guisset at Veuve Clicquot. Seriously, how wild is the colour synchronicity? We had so many photos taken by multiple people that it felt like it was our wedding day, hahaha. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Entry to Elle Decor’s Material Home by Elisa Ossino Studio, in collaboration with Rossi Bianchi Lighting Design and Studio Antonio Perazzi. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Elisa Ossino never misses, and this show, dedicated to the discovery of the essence of material in all its forms, was one of my Milan 2024 highlights.

Elle Decor’s Material Home. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Elle Decor’s Material Home. See and learn more about this amazing exhibition via Milan Unpacked 2024. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

(Holy) Hermès presented ‘The Topography of Material’ at La Pelota. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

This show was a sublime celebration of materials and the French luxury brand’s roots. It highlighted materials like brick, stone, slate, wood, and compacted earth—heaven.

Studio Mumbai’s absolutely insane Hainaut stone table for Hermès is hand-cut from a single cube of stone. Each of its 800 lines is meticulously chiselled by hand. I mean, I just can’t. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Behind the black backdrop wall, Hermès presented its new collections in tandem with pieces from its heritage. The past was projected into the present before our eyes. The exquisite curation and pairing demonstrated how Hermès’ objects are unaffected by time and passing trends. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Stunning new table lamps from Nendo for Wonderglass. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Flos’s extensive presentation at Palazzo Visconti was an epic showcase inspired by a 1988 archive photo taken by Maria Mulas (also at Palazzo Visconti). Photo © Nicolò Panzeri.

Left: Formafantasma’s exquisite new light for Flos has gone straight on my wishlist. Midde: Yours truly smiling on the outside (I’m in design heaven, after all) but dying on the inside after a bad case of food poisoning the day before. Hot tip: don’t order a chicken salad for lunch in Milan. Just eat the damn panino like a normal person.  Right: Detail of Arquitectura-G’s brilliant mirrored installation at Palazzo Visconti. It looked simple but let me tell you, it was clear a lot of thought went into it. Love. Photos © Nicolò Panzeri and Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Loewe Lamps at Palazzo Citterio. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left: My favourite lamp at Loewe by Enrico David is made of patinated, cold-cast bronze and sliced Turkish onyx. Gasp. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

MCM Wearable Casa by Atelier Biagetti at Palazzo Cusani. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Under the Willow Tree, an interactive installation by Sara Ricciardi Studio at Palazzo Litta. Left photo © Eugenio Novajra, courtesy of 5Vie. Right photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

I mean, you guys know I love design. I really do. Yet some of my favourite Milan memories are things like laughing at fart jokes with Luka. Don’t judge me. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Marion Malaender’s clever and playful installation for french textile brand Elitis was curated by Federica Sala. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Marion Malaender for Elitis, curated by Federica Sala. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Speaking of favourite Milan memories, this was pretty up there—an unforgettable evening at Teatro Alla Scala with Edra and our friends from Space. There may have been tears. Even though I’ve been to La Scala a couple of times before, this room and the exceptional performances held there never fail to leave an impression on me. It was so special. Thank you for having me!

Some moments from La Scala, where Edra hosted an evening in honour of photographer Aurelio Amendola. Photos © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Seriously, how amazing is Milan? I have no words. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Gaetano Pesce’s ‘Nice to See You’ at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana was a farewell to the great design maestro, who passed away aged 84 only days before the exhibition opened. Photos © Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

The very cool Verner Panton Lounge was part of Capsule Plaza at 10 Corso Como. Photos © Nick Hughes & Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Herzog & de Meuron’s H&dM Objects at 10 Corso Como. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left: Scenes from the newly refreshed 10 Corso Como, looking towards Format’s Aluminum Formwork Series with Niceworkshop. Above: A tone-on-tone situation at Faye Toogood’s Rudes Arts Club in collaboration with cc tapis & Tacchini. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

With my homies, the divine Cristina Celestino at Fornace Brioni (on the left ), and Volker Haug and David Flack at the unveiling of their debut lighting collection, You and Me at 5Vie. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Interni Venosta’s stunning debut at Gipsoteca Fumagalli e Dossi,  a new brand by Dimorestudio founders Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci, made by Tuscan master craftsmen from Fabbri Services. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Scenes from Interni Venosta at Gipsoteca Fumagalli e Dossi. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Interni Venosta at Gipsoteca Fumagalli e Dossi. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Design Space AlUla featured scenography by Rotterdam-based Sabine Marcelis and Dutch studio Cloud, led by Paul Cournet. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Design Space AlUla championed the burgeoning design world from Saudi Arabia Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

On the left is Paul Cournet’s clever interpretation of the modernist chair icon, and entrance to Design Space AlUla. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Another Milan highlight: ‘Printed Nature’ by Harry Taler Studiox with econitWood™ at one of Alcova’s new venues, Vila Bagatti Valsechi. Photo by Pierigiorgio Sorgetti, courtesy of Alcova.

With the brilliant Australian designer Don Cameron; installation by Calico Wallpaper X Colin King; and Daniel Kolodziejczak of Studio DanelK. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Alcova 2024 at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi. Photo by Pierigiorgio Sorgetti, courtesy of Alcova.

Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

So many fantastic spaces to explore at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi. In the middle, work by Aurelien Veyrat. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left: Hulu Home by MMR Studio. Above: Telare la materia by Davide Balda, Fabrica x Benetton, which investigates possible future applications for clothing discarded due to production defects. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

The brutal queues for Alcova at Villa Borsani (and most other major exhibitions, for that matter). I heard people had to wait more than 2 hours to get into some venues. Yikes! Photo: Piergiorgio Sorgetti, courtesy of Alcova.

Sydney designer Tom Fereday’s beautiful Mazer collection at the entrance of Villa Borsani. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left to right: Atelier De Troupe and Supaform. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left to right: Natalia Criado; Fabian Freytag; and WKND Lab. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left to right: Sema Topaloglu; Conie Vallese X Elhanati; and Agglomerati X Tino Seubert at Alcova. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Holy Nendo(ness). Bloody hell, Oki Sato has a seriously amazing brain. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Scenes from Nendo’s incredible show ‘Whispers of nature’. The image in the middle shows how individual design concepts were communicated via animated sketches on LED screens, which were sandwiched in thick card appearing like digital sketch books. Does that sentence even make sense? Seriously, mind—blown. So much more to say about all these works. Head to my full report over on Space. Please. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Formafantasma’s excellent solo show ‘La Casa Dentro’ (The Home Within) at ICA Milan, explores concepts of nostalgia and queer identity and runs until mid June. Photo 1 & 2 © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace. Photo 3, courtesy of Formafantasma.

Founded by architect Andrea Caputo, Dropcity, the new centre for progressive thinking in architecture and design in the tunnels behind Milan Central Station, was another highlight from the week. This sweet tent structure hosted talks and gatherings in one of the vaults. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

WonderPowder at Dropcity, a research project by Shimadzu Corporation and the design studio we+, was in my top 3 from Milan. No image can do it justice. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Adam Štěch, a.k.a. Okolo Architecture, captured nearly 3,000 architecture and design details which were on show in Elements: Unique Details of the 20th Century Architecture and Interiors at Dropcity. Left photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace. Right photo © Vojtěch Veškrn.

Just three examples of three thousand amazing photos at Okolo Architecture’s incredible show Elements. Left to Right: Karl Kohn, Casa Kohn in Quito, Ecuador, built 1951; Erik Gunnar Asplund, City Hall Extension in Gothenburg, Sweden, built 1934-1936; Karel Filsak, Vladimír Toms, Vladimír Štulc and Jan Vrana; Embassy of Czech republic in Cairo, Egypt, built 1977-1980. Photos © Adam Štěch/ Okolo Architecture.

Ronan Bouroullec’s new collection for Mutina. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Ronan Bouroullec for Mutina. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Milano moments. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Suite by Motta Architecture with Spotti Milano. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Suite by Motta Architecture with Spotti Milano. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left: Cool kids only at Dzek X Christien Meindertsma’s launch of Flaxwood, with an installation by Arquitectura-G. Above: Faye Toogood’s new furniture collection. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Design Variations was hosted at a cool venue, but that’s about it. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Design Variations totally baited me with their announcement that Nathalie Du Pasquier was doing a specially commissioned installation this year (left), so I thought I’d give them the chance. I probably shouldn’t have done that. Such a cool venue, though, it’s a shame the show sucked. And by ‘it sucked’, I mean it was mega-corporate, and it lacked curation and a vision. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

I’ve been to Milan so many times, but the city still surprises me each trip. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Trippy soft-to-touch silicone objects by Alessandro Ciffo at Rossana Orlandi. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Draga & Aurel at Rossana Orlandi. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

A little moment from the Korean Craft Show ‘Thoughts on Thickness’ at Rossana Orlandi. This was one of my top highlights from the week, and I have so much more to say about it over on the official Milan Unpacked report. Go check it. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Kimulight wall by HYBE design ream at Rossana Orlandi. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Gucci Design Ancora. Like, obviously. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

I know Gucci’s Design Ancora was everywhere during the design week, and it made everyone’s roundups. They really pushed the comms and PR hard, but I honestly have to say that — while the design pieces are beautiful, the set-up of the press preview day was such utter wank, I hated it. Also, if anyone other than Gucci did something like this (select a few classics and give them a signature colour), would the world seriously care so much? You can answer that one for yourself. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Christian Pellizzari with his Brugmansia Collection at Nilufar. Stunning. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Google X Chromasonic’s immersive installation ‘Making Sense Of Color’. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Time & Style’s newly expanded showroom in Brera is a dream. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Krjst Studio at Baranzate Ateliers. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Studio Khachatryan at Baranzate Ateliers. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Studio LoHo at Baranzate Ateliers. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Studio LoHo at Baranzate Ateliers. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Recycled steel, resin and powder pigments table by Middernacht & Alexander at Baranzate Ateliers. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Entrance to Occupazione at Dimorecentrale. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Left: Paradisoterrestre’s installation at Dimorecentrale. Photos © Nick Hughes & Dana Tomic Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Sunnei x cc tapis collaboration developed for Sunnei’s Autumn Winter 24 show. See more here. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Would 100% wear everything on this rack. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

The newly opened Cuore, a research, study and archives centre at Triennale Milano is a must-visit for all architecture and design nerds. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Alessandro Mendini’s retrospective ‘Io sono un drago. La vera storia di Alessandro Mendini’ (‘I am a dragon. The true story of Alessandro Mendini’) at Triennale Milano. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Alessandro Mendini’s cabinet in the middle made me lose my mind. Photos © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

More from Alessandro Mendini’s fantastic retrospective at Triennale Milano. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Last but definitely not least, a favourite personal memory was finally having the time to climb the Duomo after years of visiting Milan. Yes, there were tears, and I’m cool with that. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

If this doesn’t perfectly symbolise Milan, I don’t know what does: a city steeped in heritage with an outlook on the future. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Seriously, wow. How could you not cry at the sight of this? So lucky to be able to do this, especially when so many people around the world are suffering. Sorry if I sound like Debby Downer, but I’m acutely aware of my privilege at this moment in history. Photo © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

And that’s a wrap from Team Yellowtrace for another year! Now that you’ve enjoyed our happy snaps, head on over to Space to see Milan Unpacked, where I share countless insights and nuggets of goodness. A huge thanks to our amazing partners at Space for working with me this year, to my partner in life, business and crime for being such a legend who’s good at so many things, including taking a pretty decent photo. Danalas 4eva! And, of course, to our first-born love Luka, who turned 12 during Milan Design Week, a boy who changed our lives forever. After years spent apart from him on his birthday from the age of one (oh, the mother’s guilt), being together in Milan for the third time this year was an indescribable feeling. I love you more than you’ll ever know, my darling boy.

[Unless otherwise noted, photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace. Feature image credits, clockwise from left: The Vogue Closet: 60 Years of Vogue, photography by Tiziano Ercoli & Riccardo Giancola; Portrait of Dana Tomic Hughes by Luka Hughes; Table from Draga & Aurel’s Tinted Hues collection for Nilufar, image courtesy of Draga & Aurel; Interzone by Muller Van Severen for BD Barcelona at Capsule Plaza, photography by Rui Wu, T-Space.]