Cult Milan Guide + 9 must-see exhibitions at Milan Design Week 2023

Milan Design Week 2023 takes place from 18 - 23 April, returning to its traditional Spring dates for the first time in three years. The week-long event includes the Salone del Mobile program at Rho Fiera, plus a series of exhibitions and events spread across different areas of the city. Curious about the highlights and what our brand partners have planned? Read on for Cult's ultimate guide to Milan Design Week 2023, which includes the must-see exhibitions in the run-up to this exciting design event!

Cult Guide to Milan Design Week 2023

Italy's annual design event bring together the world’s best international design brands for a preview of the latest launches in furniture, lighting and lifestyle. Here we present our Cult Milan Guide which provides an overview of where to find our partners, as well as exclusive events to lock in your diary. 

This year sees three Cult brand partners participate in Milan Design Week. View our Cult Milan Guide to see what they have in planned, both at the Rho Fiera fairgrounds and installations throughout the city. 

9 Must-See Exhibitions at Milan Design Week 2023.

Gubi at Bagni Misteriosi

For the first time, Bagni Misteriosi and Teatro Franco Parenti become the backdrop to a series of design exhibitions that include Gubi's new outdoor furniture collections, as well as an exhibition celebrating the 10th anniversary of GamFratesi's Beetle chair, curated by Marco Sammicheli.

Bagni Misteriosi - Via Carlo Botta, 18, 20135 
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Alcova 2023

Alcova — the platform for independent design developed by Space Caviar and Studio Vedèt — returns for its 2023 edition with a new site: the former Porta Vittoria abattoir. Today in a state of neglect but poised for a radical and permanent transformation, the area will be once again intensely programmed for the event’s duration with performances, exhibitions, talks, screenings, and installations.

Don't miss Australian designer Tom Fereday's exhibition with Agglomerati,  plus 'This is Denmark' - a group show with 15 Danish brands (including Fredericia and &Tradition) interpreting their national heritage illustrated through an exhibition incporating landscapes and soundscapes. 

Ex-Macello di Porta Vittoria, Viale Molise, 62
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CLAY COURT CLUB by Cristina Celestino

Tennis Club Milano Alberto Bonacossa is a revered institution in the city’s sporting scene, having played host to numerous prestigious international sports events. This Salone, Celestino takes over the space with a pop-up restaurant and exhibition.

Tennis Club Milano Alberto Bonacossa, Via Giuseppe Arimondi, 15, 20155
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BAUHAU-AI by Studio Snoop x NOROCK

STUDIO SNOOP invites you to witness the world's first AI designer Tilly Talbot who will introduce visitors to 5 products designs within the Charles Philip gallery space. Visitors will be invited to give feedback and comments on the designs to further develop the products in real time over the week.The end results from the collaboration with you all will reveal the final designs forming the start of the physical collection.

Viale Vittorio Veneto, 30
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Vieni a Vedere by Gaetano Pesce at Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta continues its relationship with Gaetano Pesce, with a site-specific exhibition during design week at the brand's Milan store.  Made from resin and fabric, the installation is designed by Pesce to resemble a narrow grotto and will frame a collection of new handbags, featuring mountains with sunrise or sunsets behind. Pesce has previously created resin chairs for Bottega Veneta's Spring Summer 2023 show.

Via Monte Napoleone, 27/A
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Maison Matisse x Faye Toogood

London-based designer, Faye Toogood, brings new life to Matisse’s legacy. Taking inspiration from the French master’s forms, Toogood creates a collection of heirloom-worthy objects for Milan Design Week 2023. These works will be on show alongside​ a selection of pieces designed by Marta Bakowski, Cristina Celestino, Studio Guillaume Delvigne and Formafantasma. 

Studio Nerino, Via Santa Marta 21
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Assembling The Future Together by IKEA

IKEA’s exhibition offers visitors an experience that engages all five senses, with an immersive journey of discovery through 80 years of innovations and solutions that have shaped the future of living, and provides a glimpse of what home life could look like in the years to come. 

Padiglione Visconti, Via Tortona, 58
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Prada Frames

Formafantasma has been invited by Prada to curate and spotlight the Prada Frames project once again. This year, the symposium focuses on the theme of ‘Materials in Flux’, and explores the concept of waste as matter in transformation.

Teatro Filodrammatici, Piazza Paolo Ferrari, 6, 20121
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Ronan Bouroullec x Kvadrat 

Danish textile company Kvadrat is showing a special installation by Ronan Bouroullec in its Corso Monforte showroom. The installation by Ronan Bouroullec celebrates the launch of a new textile collection inspired by the designer’s iconic drawings with Kvadrat. The Sahco 2023 collection will also be on display alongside the March and July carpets designed by Muller van Severen.

Kvadrat Showroom, Corso Monforte, 15
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Recommendations. Eat, Drink & Explore

SIGNOR LIEVITO

Small cafe for Nordic breakfast, bread and large leavened products.

Via Maestri Campionesi, 26, 20135
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Bar Basso

Founded in 1947, the bar rose to prominence in the 50s as one of the first bars to introduce cocktail culture to a thirsty-for-excess post-war crowd. In the ‘70s, the bar began to become embedded in Milan’s growing design and fashion scene, with the designer Joe Colombo and Maurizio Gucci frequently hanging out there.

Via Plinio, 39, 20133
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Da Giacomo

When you want to eat fish, with well executed recipes and a touch of unmistakable Milanese charm, the answer can't be other than Da Giacomo. An old-style foyer, small tables and a serene décor, featuring a pastel green boiserie, all to create a classical and sophisticated ambient. Also check out their sister restaurant Giacomo Bistrot. 

Via Pasquale Sottocorno, 6, 20129
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La Triennale

Milan's major cultural institution, LaTriennale, celebrates its centennial with a series of exhibitions and events throughout the year. During Design Week, the Museo del Design Italiano reopens to the public on April 15, 2023, taking visitors on a journey from the institution’s founding in 1923 to the present day, focusing on iconic Italian design.

Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6
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Rossana Orlandi

Rossana Orlandi returns again this year with the Ro Plastic Prize, an award that is part of the RO Guiltless Plastic project. Over the years, the event has seen more than 1800 participants, with an average age of 35, from 60 different countries covering all 5 continents. The award has three categories: collectible art and design, emerging high technology, and inspiring learning projects.

Via Matteo Bandello, 14, 20123 
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