After the opening of the Fondazione Prada and Armani/Silos and also in the wake of Expo Milano 2015, Milan’s efforts to be the hub of world design has had no pause. The Lombard capital has now hosted Milan Design Week 2016 and the Milan International Furniture Design Exhibition (from 12 to 17 April), and these events have been graced by some top names in fashion, design, and architecture. Inaugurations, shows, and other happenings filled the city to compete – during the same dates – with the overwhelming line-up of signatures gracing the fair premises designed by Massimiliano Fuksas in Rho, the venue of the International Milano Furniture Fair, which this year celebrates its 55th anniversary with a record of visitors (almost 400,000 people have gone to see the products of 2,400 exhibitors.

The fruitful collaboration between architects and the different brands of clothing and furniture has this year brought in such highlights as OMA’s intervention for Knoll, David Chipperfield’s furniture pieces for e15, Sou Fujimoto’s cones of light for COS, or Daniel Libeskind’s creations for Alessi and Antrax, among others. Moreover, Grupo Porcelanosa and Noken have together presented a new line of faucets designed by the recenty demised Zaha Hadid. Finally we should mention the participation of the group Nendo, represented by two brilliant installations by Capellini and Marsotto Edizioni, as well as that of the Bouroullec brothers, with a collection for Artek originally created by Alvar Aalto and now belonging to Vitra.