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Hello folks,
As many of you know, I just returned from Salone del Mobile, Milan’s annual, v. v. important design festival. You can catch up with my adventure by reading about my packing list, and my first installment about my experience as a first-timer. Today, I’ll give you a rundown of my first two days. Stay tuned later this week for the rest of the trip. And keep an eye out next week for my final Salone report—on the toilets and toilet paper of Milan.
Day 1
I landed in Milan early morning on Sunday the 19th. On the drive into town, I felt wrecked by some 16 hours of travel from Los Angeles and thought I might genuinely be sick. It was an instant reminder that my body hasn’t been functioning like I want it to (I’ve had way too many illnesses this year, blah blah) and that I’d probably have to pace myself during the trip.
Once slightly more rested (though still faintly nauseous), I made my way to Alcova, the itinerant, multi-designer exhibition that materializes each year during Milan Design Week. This time, it was split between two sites: an abandoned military hospital and Villa Pestarini, a Franco Albini–designed home never before opened to the public.
I chose the hospital first and was immediately struck by the setting: a cluster of crumbling stucco buildings scattered across overgrown grounds. Exhibitions unfolded in former doctors’ offices and operating rooms, some still outfitted with vintage equipment, lending the whole thing a distinctly haunted elegance.
Case in point: the first installation I encountered was Sten Studio’s The Wedding—a scene of candlelit stone sculptures accompanied by a live harpist. My favorites from Alcova:
Studio Noff: Light fixtures of amber-hued glass draped with glass beads.
Marlot Baus: Spindly braided candlesticks and a chair with a trail of braided hay.
Sari Valenci: Slovenian fashion designer who made a pink plastic tablecloth resembling a blouse.
Sister by Studio Ashby: Finally got to meet Sophie Ashby and see my long-desired rug (here) in person. I really admire Ashby’s collection and her work as an interior designer.
Spread/"Colored Boundaries”: This Tokyo-based duo installed undulating sheets of sheer fabric outside. I spoke with one of the artists for a while who asked me how the pieces made me feel. I said “serene,” which I hope was the right answer.
I then took a short car ride over to the other location of Alcova, arriving to a standstill line stretching down the block. By this point, I decided I couldn’t wait for a half-hour in the sun. Although I now regret this as I’ve heard I really missed out.
In the evening, I met up with my pal Sydney Gore to check out Laila Gohar’s fruit and veg carousel. This install (to promote Gohar’s fashion collab with the retailer Arket) got tons of attention and rightly so—it was nice to see something unserious and joyful. We then went to Wrong House’s cocktail before meeting up with the H&M Home crew for dinner. Before calling it a night, I roamed through the Duomo-adjacent department store Rinascente where I was appalled by a Yankee Candle kiosk and delighted by some Zafferano wine glasses I couldn’t fit in my carry-on.
Day 2
Monday started off with the press preview for Kelly Wearstler’s collection with H&M Home. The presentation was held at Palazzo Acerbi, a 17th-century Baroque palace never-before opened to the public—a space almost unreal in its beauty and detail. On display was a portion of the KW x H&M Home collection (the full range will be available online in September), artfully arranged across rooms with frescos, towering windows, and marble stonework. The clear star of the show is the Noxen chair, a heavy wood piece with a trapezoidal seat and a contrasting black stain. The lighting also stood out to me. Favorites: a lamp fashioned in a silhouette of a lamp (so meta!) and cylindrical floor and table lamps wrapped in linen.
I then headed off with some pals to view Eny Lee Parker’s (love her!) installation. The egg-shaped mega lamp truly lived up.
When I heard there was a Buly outpost in Milan, I knew I had to make time to stop in. I picked up a pumice stone that’s kept in a porcelain box; you pour on essential oil to diffuse the scent in a room.
Then it was back to the hotel for a brief rest. The STRAF is lovely and in a really great central location, but it’s also puzzlingly hilarious. The tagline is “stay in an art project,” and the site reads, “We love musicians, DJs, artists, installations, performance art, conceptual art and cosy bedrooms that defy convention.” I can best describe the decor as hard and slightly aggro. The door to your room will look like a bunker. And you will also likely have a massage chair in your room. Not an arty-looking massage chair, but a very standard nail salon type massage chair, which truly seems like a line item that could have been cut from the design budget. I rightly guessed that this hotel was designed by a man. But! It’s quiet, the rooms are spacious, and the staff is very nice.
Anyhow, where was I? By now, it was about 6 pm and Sydney and I headed out to view Flamingo Estate’s collab with Kohler. The presentation was pretty—a recreation of the Flamingo Estate founder’s L.A. bathhouse—but I didn’t find the pieces (bath tubs, sinks) to present any new ideas.
We then popped into Casa Laveni, a newly opened hotel where much of the design media was staying. (I heard some people got comped rooms, others were offered a press rate, which was still 500€ per night, ouch.) In the lobby, Ananas Ananas showed a very cool stainless steel tablecloth, one of my favorite items I saw during my trip.
Dinner was at Rovello 18, where I discovered the glassware of Massimo Lunardon, which teeters between weird/cheesy and beautiful.
It was then time for a second dinner. Yes, second, which was hosted by Camron PR at Trattoria del Ciumbia—worth it for the decor alone. Sadly, I didn’t get to taste much of the food because I was so exhausted. I started to feel delirious around the time the guy next to me started to describe his documentary about Japanese monks. I tried to keep pushing through but decided this was another “listen to your body” moment, and so I ducked out early. Kudos to anyone who attended the post-dinner late-night disco.
That’s all for now. Days 3 and 4 coming up soon. Any questions, comments, concerns?
Ciao,
Leo
Outfits
#1: Roucha Duchamp Stud Denim, Roucha Keaton Sweater, Autry Sneakers
#2: Roucha Toyen Shirt, Roucha Sota Shirt, Roucha Dessau Vintage Denim
#3: Anntian Dress, Aeyde Cage Flats
#4: H&M Polka Dot Dress, Roucha Oko Coat, Clare V Purse