Today I wanted to chat to you about some of the wonderful moments and installations that took place during the Milan Design Week. As you’ve probably gathered, an overwhelming amount of things happens in Milan during the Design Week. When compared to previous years, 2013 was definitely quieter and more modest due to the grim state of European (and global) economy. Having said this, there was still plenty to see and do. Let’s dive in…

What could one expect from a partnership between luxury French fashion house Louis Vuitton and a bunch of blue chip designers? Nothing other than the ultimate killer combination of extreme love variety! Launched at the recent Design Miami, “Objets Nomades” is a collection of 16-piece personal and travel accessories designed by 11 notable designers – think Fernando and Humberto Campana, Patricia Urquiola, Maarten Baas, Christian Liaigre and Oki Sato of Nendo amongst others. The designers were given the brief to come up with portable objects inspired by Louis Vuitton’s signature luggage and travel accessories…

Design royalty alert! This house was designed by the prolific Spanish architect, Patricia Urquiola for Patrizia Moroso, creative director of the super fab Italian furniture company Moroso. Yep, that’s pretty major design royalty right there. Yet the outcome is surprisingly simple and modest. Incredibly stylish and beautiful, but quite modest and restrained.

Some of the furniture seen in this house is one of a kind, like the painted metal chairs by Ron Arad. There are a few Moroso prototypes as well, like the Rift sofa by Patricia Urquiola covered in African fabric. Some pieces are sample rejects, like the Ron Arad plastic Ripple chairs on the terrace. Their colors were muddled in the molding process which really appealed to Patrizia Moroso. She says that she is drawn to ‘strange’ versions of furniture and mistakes from factories that have resulted in unique pieces made by the industrial process…

So. I’ve been meaning to do this post for over three months now. True story. What the hell happened? I have no idea. Bugger.
Anyway, I got my hands on Moroso’s press kit in Milan earlier this year because I wanted to show you all the super awesome pieces which were realeased at the Salone del Mobile. That was in April, and we are now in July. I guess I’m not that late, huh? Shocking, I know. But better late than never.

So, here are my favourite pieces released this year, and a pick of refreshed pieces released in 2009. And in case you missed the whole thing, you can read about my wrap up of the Salone, or you can check out the entire category of posts dedicated to Milan…