Explore our guide to the city as Milan Design Week returns

As Milan Design Week approaches, get insights from WGSN correspondent Diana Lee via our Milan guide, from upcoming creative areas to new sustainable concepts.

LGBTQ+-friendly areas and sustainable fashion brands become central hubs

As the city gears up for an influx of visitors, openings include big names across fashion, food and hospitality. New Louis Vuitton and Moschino in Via Monte Napoleone and SO-LE in Porta Venezia are just some to name. Emerging area Porta Venezia has developed into an LGBTQ+-friendly, multicultural area around Via Lecco and continues to be the hotspot for new eateries.

Sustainability is a slow, continuous thread that inspires new ways to dress. New openings such as DON'T WASTE are must-visits, alongside the Blue of a kind store that taps into our #ReduceReuseRecycle story and Golden Goose's in-house repair service.

Don’t miss out on Qeeboo's flagship when in town – a blast of colour, shapes and unusual proportions. Its iconic Rabbit Chair is seen in many boutique hotels across the country and the store features a hub of young designers who it has collaborated with over the years.

Natural ingredients thrive for beauty and restaurants

A standout among beauty concepts is Visologiq. It is a unisex beauty bar that uses non-invasive treatments that mix massage techniques and advanced technologies to train the facial muscles and help improve skin texture.

The sustainable philosophy permeates HORTO, a new restaurant in the Duomo area. Its dishes feature ingredients sourced within an hour’s distance of Milan, such as freshwater fish from Lake Iseo and bread from renowned local bakery TONDO. Its interiors are also recycled, including the floor made of vinegar barrels.

Milan’s upcoming events

The design capital hosts cultural events such as Milan Art Week and Milan Design Week, as well as periodic exhibitions at Fondazione Sozzani and Gallerie d’Italia. Contemporary space Cardi Gallery’s Making Spaces, a retrospective dedicated to Paolo Scheggi, one of Italy’s most important artists of the Spatialism movement, is also worth checking out.

If you’re a WGSN subscriber, delve into the city via our Milan guide, Live now on the site.