Milan Design Week 2025 once again proved why it’s considered the beating heart of global design. From established luxury houses to emerging talents, this year’s edition was filled with bold experiments, technological marvels, and sustainable visions. Here are some unforgettable installations that stood out during this dynamic week of creativity.
1. “Frozen” by Tokujin Yoshioka x Grand Seiko
At Milan Design Week 2025, Grand Seiko unveiled “TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA – Frozen”, a poetic and meticulously crafted exhibition by renowned Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka. The centerpiece of the show was the debut of the “Aqua Chair”, a transparent sculptural form that evokes the crystallization of water—an outcome of years of material experimentation and visionary design. The installation offered a serene, almost meditative atmosphere, where time appeared suspended. Complementing this artistic statement, Grand Seiko showcased their Spring Drive timepieces, whose fluid, gliding seconds hands mirrored the organic flow captured in Yoshioka’s work. The result was a harmonious fusion of horology, nature, and avant-garde design.
2. “Crafted Realities” – Hermès Pavilion
Minimalism took centre stage at Hermès’s 2025 installation, set within the iconic La Pelota venue—a former 1940s sports hall in Brera. Artistic directors Charlotte Macaux Perelman and Alexis Fabry chose a strikingly pared-down, all-white architectural environment as a contemplative canvas to showcase the brand’s vibrant new homeware collection. The bold contrast between the minimalist setting and the rich textures, colours, and patterns of the objects created a heightened focus on detail, material, and form.
3. “Library of Light” by Es Devlin – Pinacoteca di Brera
Set within the historic courtyard of the Pinacoteca di Brera, British set designer Es Devlin unveiled “Library of Light”, a poetic and kinetic installation for Salone del Mobile 2025. Centered around a rotating circular platform lined with over 3,000 curated books, the structure invited visitors to reflect on the theme “Thought for Humans”. Works by authors like Toni Morrison, Adrienne Rich, and other visionaries encouraged deep contemplation, while angled mirrors scattered throughout the installation reflected natural sunlight across the space—making the experience both literally and metaphorically illuminating. As visitors spun through the courtyard, they were offered new angles on both literature and light, blurring the boundary between architecture, storytelling, and movement.
4. Boca do Lobo – Salone del Mobile 2025
At Salone del Mobile.Milano 2025, Boca do Lobo showcased its luxury craftsmanship and iconic design pieces that epitomize the brand’s bold elegance. Known for its luxurious furniture and intricate craftsmanship, Boca do Lobo’s installation at Pavilion 15, Stand A01–A03 offered visitors an immersive journey through their visionary creations. The collection seamlessly blends traditional techniques with contemporary design, making every piece a statement of artistic excellence and luxury. From April 8–13, the exhibition highlighted Boca do Lobo’s commitment to creating exclusive, handcrafted masterpieces that redefine luxury living.
5. “Drift Us” by Studio Drift x Audi – Superstudio Più
Studio Drift, in collaboration with Audi, introduced “Drift Us”, an immersive installation inspired by the fluid, ever-changing movement of wind. The experience invited visitors into a dynamic environment where motion-activated elements shifted and evolved with each step, echoing nature’s responsiveness. The installation highlighted Audi’s vision for sustainability and innovation while maintaining Studio Drift’s poetic, nature-driven aesthetic. The result was a space that felt alive—fluid, responsive, and deeply connected to the rhythms of the natural world.
6. “Symbiotic Futures” by Formafantasma – Fondazione Prada
Design duo Formafantasma presented a research-based installation focused on material life cycles. Through audiovisual storytelling and interactive samples, they showcased sustainable materials like mycelium leather and algae-based bioplastics. Curated by Germano Celant Foundation, this installation blurred lines between design, science, and activism.
7. “Making the Invisible Visible” by Lachlan Turczan x Google – Milan Design Week 2025
Building on his 2023 debut, American artist Lachlan Turczan returned to Milan in collaboration with Google to explore the theme of synesthesia through light, sound, and movement. “Making the Invisible Visible” transformed a darkened space into a dreamlike realm filled with six luminous veils, created using lasers, parabolic mirrors, vapor, and algorithmic choreography. These shimmering light sheets responded to human touch with delicate ripples—appearing as if made from fluid fabric—and each veil produced a unique sound as it moved, turning the space into an interactive, light-based windchime. The installation offered a multisensory reflection on the boundaries between physical and digital, visible and intangible.
8. “La Prima Notte Di Quiete” by Dimorestudio x Loro Piana – Loro Piana HQ Courtyard
In a cinematic and deeply atmospheric takeover of the Loro Piana headquarters courtyard, Dimorestudio unveiled “La Prima Notte Di Quiete”—a theatrical installation that blurs the line between set design and lived space. Visitors entered through a vintage cinema-style foyer, complete com red velvet curtains, before stepping into a dimly lit stage that resembled a melancholic 1970s–80s apartment. The space was fully furnished with custom pieces by Dimorestudio for Loro Piana Interiors, while elements like shattered porcelain on a dining table and overflowing water from a sunken tub added layers of drama and decay. A carefully composed soundtrack played through speakers, unfolding a narrative in light and sound—transforming design into storytelling.
9. “Design You Can Feel” by Studio INI x Dezeen x ASUS – Milan Design Week 2025
Design and technology converged in “Design You Can Feel”, a kinetic installation by Studio INI created in collaboration with Dezeen and ASUS. Located along a central corridor, the piece featured a set of responsive aluminium wings that opened and closed as visitors walked through, simulating a sense of tactile engagement. The shimmering surfaces were crafted using ASUS’s Ceraluminum technology—an innovative process that transforms aluminium through electrochemical oxidation, producing a ceramic layer that organically grows from the metal. The result was both futuristic and sensorial, challenging the notion of passive materials and celebrating the physicality of interactive design.
10. “Growing Matter(s)” by Henning Larsen – Milan Design Week 2025
In a unique experiment in sustainability, Henning Larsen collaborated with the Material Balance Research Lab of the Politecnico di Milano to create “Growing Matter(s)”, a pavilion designed to disappear entirely after Milan Design Week 2025. The installation featured 80 suspended mycelium spheres, which will gradually decompose, leaving no trace behind. The scaffolding structure, rented for the duration of the exhibition, will be returned to a construction site for reuse. This ephemeral yet thought-provoking project highlighted the potential of natural materials and circular design practices, blending innovation with environmental consciousness.
11. “Diade” by Kapwani Kiwanga for Kvadrat – Corso Monforte Showroom
In collaboration with Kvadrat, Canadian artist Kapwani Kiwanga unveiled “Diade”—a bold exploration of colour perception and textile design. Initially working with the Danish textile company on large-scale art pieces about colonialism, Kiwanga has now created her own unique fabric for Kvadrat, using multicoloured threads to create the illusion of a single colour. Presented in Kvadrat’s Corso Monforte showroom, the installation features monumental interventions spaced at various angles throughout the space.
12. “The Suspended Hour” by Nike x PAN – Capsule Plaza
At Capsule Plaza, Nike teamed up with Berlin-based experimental music label PAN to present “The Suspended Hour”—an immersive installation launching their reimagined Air Max 180 sneaker. Under the creative direction of PAN’s founder Bill Kouligas and designer Niklas Bildstein Zaar, the installation explored club culture as a sacred space, merging sonic, visual, and spatial elements.
13. “Democratic Visions” – IKEA at Fuorisalone (BASE Milano)
IKEA embraced its experimental side with “Democratic Visions,” a walk-through maze of inflatable spaces reflecting future living models. Created in collaboration with SPACE10 (IKEA’s innovation lab) and curated by Carla Sozzani, the exhibit addressed urban density, climate resilience, and co-living futures.
Milan Design Week 2025 went far beyond aesthetics—it delivered emotional impact, forward-thinking solutions, and immersive storytelling. These standout installations not only redefined what design can look like but also what it can feel like and how it can shape the way we live, work, and connect. As the boundaries between design, art, and technology continue to blur, Milan remains the stage where the future takes form.
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