ONE WEEK ABOUT Milano Design Week 2026
Day 3 – Article by David Heldt
The Salone is here—the design event that industry peers often spend months preparing for. Everything has to be perfect, because you’re judged on it, and designers can be perfectionists, which can take things to extremes. The paper your business card is made of, the type of tape used to hang the signage, the clothes you wear, the glasses for the cocktail. Everything is a performance, and the devil is in the details.
Personally, I’m far from a perfectionist; sometimes a firm hand is a pragmatic way to get things organized. In the twenty years I’ve been organizing events in Milan, I’ve fortunately always had “exorcists” around me. And yes, you read that right—a personal anniversary. In 2006, together with Victor le Noble, I organized the group exhibition Tuttobene, which even made the front page of the NRC (unfortunately, that article was about a break-in during which a third of the objects were stolen on the last night). After Tuttobene came Connecting the Dots magazine and the exhibitions The Alternative and Design Language, in collaboration with studio CARA\DAVIDE.
An exhibition remains a work in progress right up until the very last day. Everything from the placement of the flag outside on the street to the arrangement of the objects is still being discussed and adjusted up to fifteen minutes before closing time. There’s always room for improvement, and that defines the character of the designer. There’s always room for improvement. Perhaps that’s what sets us apart from animals; they’re content with the world as it is, while humans are always looking for improvements. That’s why life as a cat is so appealing—a cat can purr and dream all day long. A cat also doesn’t feel sluggish after a day spent lounging on the couch. Purring instead of seeking meaning.
Tonight is the first night of the fair, the perfect time for opening receptions. Among others, Masterly, Moooi, Rick Tegelaar, and SOLIDIFIED are hosting cocktail parties tonight. What I’ve always feared has never happened: that objects get damaged during a reception. No matter how many drinks a designer has, their motor skills and awareness around well-designed objects apparently don’t disappear. Fingers crossed!
The cocktail party where designers can truly relax is the one hosted by Anne van de Zwaag on Wednesday evening. Every year, she celebrates her birthday by treating the Dutch design community to drinks at Bar Magenta—because there’s no design to be seen there. So you can let your guard down; there are no visual distractions. I’ll share what that looks like with you on Thursday.
