From JW Anderson to Thom Browne: What to look out for at Milan Design Week

In what has been established to be an event that merges fashion and design, Milan Design Week returns to the Italian fashion capital alongside the Salone del Mobile, running from April 15 to 21, during which time a curation of home collections by fashion brands will be showcased.

Over the course of the week, 33 brands with 44 appointments will be on the schedule, as well as 12 home collection presentations and 32 more general events. For some, this year marks a return to the prestigious calendar, while for others it will be a debut. New brands on the schedule for this edition include JW Anderson, Ralph Lauren Home, Thom Browne, Gucci, Moncler, C.P. Company, Sunnei and Luisaviaroma, among others.

Here are some of the events to look forward to:

Thom Browne, April 17 to 21: The American luxury brand will be opening its menswear boutique on the Via Gesù to the public in what will be the first complete presentation of its home collection. The label made its first foray into homeware towards the end of last year, when it launched crystal glassware, tumblers and carafes in collaboration with Baccarat. An expansion of the line alongside bedding company Frette will then be unveiled in a separate private event, ‘Time to Sleep’.

Dolce & Gabbana Casa, April 15 to 21: Alongside the exhibition of its latest collection of furniture and home accessories, Dolce & Gabbana will be presenting volume two of its Gen D designer residency project at Via Broggi, where 11 international talents will be on display, first for press and then the general public from April 16.

Gucci, April 15 to 21: For its first time participating in Milan Design Week, Italian luxury label Gucci will be unveiling its Gucci Design Ancora, a special edition of five design icons from the house, all to be exhibited at the brand’s flagship store on the via Monte Napoleone.

Moncler: Another to be making its design week debut, Moncler is set to transform Milan’s central railway station into a public gallery with the launch of the ‘An Invitation to Dream’ exhibition. Curated by Dazed Media co-founder Jefferson Hack, the works of the likes of Daniel Arsham, Deepak Chopra, Laila Gohar and Jeremy O. Harris will be on display, all with the goal of encouraging the public to dream.

Prada, April 14 to 16: At the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi, Prada will be presenting a symposium curated by research-based design studio Formafantasma which explores the interaction between environment and design under the theme ‘Being Home’.

Ralph Lauren Home: For its first time participating, Ralph Lauren Home will be taking to Milan with an invite-only event at its store on the via San Barnaba. Here, the designer will be launching a new home collection, ‘The Modern Driver’, inspired by the brand’s ties to automobiles.

Woolrich, April 18: Woolrich will be hosting a special event at its Milan flagship store on the Corso Venezia, where it will be launching a limited edition book, Orama. Developed in collaboration with Wanderlust Vision, the publication will serve as a tribute to the long-term relationship between the two brands, telling the story of their collaboration and the creative artists that have shared their vision.

C.P. Company: Italian sportswear brand C.P. Company will be unveiling a new platform, ‘Laboratorio’, dedicated to upcycling and customising its own products. On the Via Fiamma, the brand will play host to workshops and talks with partners as it looks to explore the relationship between product and consumer.

JW Anderson, April 17 to 21: The store of British luxury brand JW Anderson on Via Sant’Andrea will be the location of a showcase for Patrick Carroll’s artworks ‘Days’ over the course of Milan Design Week. The exhibition itself will highlight the artist’s stretched textile technique through an installation.