Woven highlights from Milan Design Week 2026 Part 1

Spanning exhibitions, installations and collaborations, Milan Design Week 2026 explores the intersection of material, craft and design, with textiles playing a central role across the city’s programme

The competition for the best installation grows even more fierce in Milan. This is great news for all us spectators, but it can leave you feeling exhausted as you attempt to absorb as much of it as possible. When you only have eyes for rugs it is a little easier to cut through the drama to find the real highlights. 

In terms of enchanting, original installations involving rugs, three companies really stood out. In the 5Vie district, the Floralis collection, created by Estúdio Campana in collaboration with Art de Vivre, was the main star in an enchanting display in Teatro Arsenale. The dramatic lighting highlighting the rugs, alongside the use of sound and uplifting smell, created a magical atmosphere.

South of the Campana collection, cc-tapis‘ showroom was dedicated to a stunning new rugs collection made in collaboration with Fornasetti. The cc-tapis team was given access to the the brand’s archive to create a new hand-knotted wool and silk rug collection. Curated by Dan Thawley, the presentation was immaculate and enthralling, containing soulful rugs with the signature style of Fornasetti, from the dramatic Profili to the quieter but playful Serratura.

Another fabulous rug installation was by Mexican brand Balmaceda, whose founder Jose Maria moved to Milan six months ago and converted his new apartment into a design week destination. Titled Codices, the collection of rugs, ceramics and embroideries was on show to evoke Mexican heritage through geometry, materiality, and ritual symbolism. Once again, sound and smell. played a large role in the overall atmosphere.

At Salone del Mobile, Amini’s stand installation was titled Weaving as a universal language with new rugs by Elisa Ossino, Altherr Désile Park, and Amini Studio, including a large range of samples demonstrating what the brand can do. Jan Kath‘s large stand featured a number of rug highlighting, including a Gul Nora collection rug with chunky flowers and a gorgeous flatweave design, that does not yet belong to a collection.

Also at Salone was nanimarquina and the firm’s new collaboration with Lucia Eames, a range of rugs in natural fibres and depicting charming shapes taken from nature. Illulian‘s Atlantica rug by Paula Cademartori was a highlight on the Italian brand’s stand while I also loved the new Pave rug designed by Studio Irvine for Mohebban.

Full of showroom displays, Brera in the centre of the city is many visitors’ favourite part of Milan Design Week. This year Fischbacher 1819 showed off a new rug collection made with Zollanvari. The four designs include Kamila, woven in Iran with a Souf-inspired relief technique, developed exclusively for Fischbacher plus the shaggy Jamshid and Kamran rugs. All are woven with organic hand-spun wool and natural vegetable dyes. The collection will feature in COVER 83, out in June.

Textile artist, Daniel Costa showed a beautiful new rug made in Nepal, which referenced medieval tapestry motifs while celebrating texture in a contemporary way. Along the road, in the private residence and design studio of designer Mario Milana, Beni Rugs displayed its latest rug designs by Casa Milana.

Lelievre and Maison Leleu held an elegant exhibition of furniture and rugs while Sahrai’s showroom was home to a fabulous new collection of Moroccan rugs called Inner Soul. A completely new look for the company, the rugs were indeed soulful and expressive with great wool.

In Brera’s Piazza San Marco JOV‘s collection with Bieke Casteleyn was a range of rugs and furniture emphasising softness and tactility. Also neutral in colour and soft in texture were the elements of Altai Gallery‘s Undead Undyed exhibition, which comprised a wonderful range of ancient undyed carpets and tapestries from remote regions of Anatolia and Kurdistan.

Part two of our Milan review is also online here.

Words by Lucy Upward