Is collectable design on the rise at Salone del Mobile? A selection of highlights from Milan Design Week 2026

This episode of Monocle on Design captures the vibrant energy of Milan Design Week 2026, with live reporting from the Salone del Mobile trade fair and the city’s surrounding installations. Hosts Nick Vanese and Grace Charlton explore the growing emphasis on collectible design, highlighted by the new Salone Raritas section, and discuss how major brands like Louis Vuitton are blending Art Deco heritage with contemporary craftsmanship through collaborations with designers like Frank Genza. The episode also delves into the intimate, home-based showrooms emerging across Milan, exemplified by Casa Milana’s transformed apartment, where co-founders Mario Milana and Gabriella Campagna present handmade, presence-driven furniture and rugs. The conversation reflects on the blurring lines between fashion and design, the importance of craftsmanship, and the emotional resonance of well-made, tactile objects in everyday life. As the city pulses with creativity, the episode underscores design as a quality experience rooted in connection, context, and care. Key takeaways include the rise of collectible and one-off design as a counterpoint to mass production, the power of presenting design in lived-in domestic spaces to enhance authenticity, and the growing trend of cross-disciplinary collaboration—especially between fashion houses and furniture designers. The episode also emphasizes design as a form of therapy and emotional well-being, with designers like Genza framing beauty as a psychological function. Finally, it celebrates the human element behind design: the relationships, rituals, and slow living ethos that define the most meaningful work.