Editor’s Six Design Highlights from Milan Design Week 2026

Every edition of Milan Design Week reveals a new generation of designers exploring materials, craftsmanship and contemporary lifestyles in unexpected ways. Among the hundreds of installations presented throughout the city, six emerging talents particularly caught the attention of the editorial team for their creativity, technical mastery and distinctive artistic language.

Armand Louis

Based in Venice, Swiss designer Armand Louis combines traditional Murano glassmaking with contemporary experimentation. Working alongside master glassmaker Roberto Beltrami, he develops sculptural blown-glass pieces inspired by marine life and organic forms. Collections such as Echinozaïres and Oxydis explore the behaviour of copper pigments during firing, creating changing metallic reflections and richly textured surfaces that make every object unique.

Halo Edition

Light becomes both material and atmosphere in the work of Halo Edition. Founded by the Milan gallery Rossana Orlandi, the brand creates luminous installations inspired by natural phenomena including sunrise, sunset and eclipses. Its latest collection, presented during Milan Design Week, combines hand-blown glass with anodised aluminium to diffuse soft, immersive light capable of transforming architectural spaces into poetic environments.

Pepe Valenti

Dutch-based designer Pepe Valenti, a graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven, translates the movement of waves into monumental sculptural furniture. Working with highly polished chrome and salvaged military aircraft aluminium, his creations blur the boundaries between functional objects and contemporary art. Each handcrafted piece reflects light differently, reinforcing the dynamic relationship between material, movement and perception.

Hauts Reliefs

French studio Hauts Reliefs revisits historic furniture through the lens of circular design. Founded by June Passelle, the company transforms neglected antique pieces into contemporary furniture while preserving their original craftsmanship. Collaborations with specialist artisans, including marquetry expert Clément Loustau, combine restoration, cabinetmaking and modern functionality, giving new life to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century furniture without erasing its history.

Michal Korchowiec

Polish designer Michal Korchowiec explores the emotional qualities of light through sculptural luminaires. His collection Objects With Love assembles colourful geometric modules that can be freely combined to create playful compositions. Balancing artistic expression with functional lighting, his work evokes sweets, rainbows and childhood memories while remaining highly architectural in form.

Félix Millory

Originally trained as a scientist before moving into architecture and design, Félix Millory specialises in exceptional natural stone. His monolithic furniture highlights the intrinsic beauty of marble through clean geometric forms and minimal intervention. Presented by Rossana Orlandi, his latest collection demonstrates how careful material selection and refined craftsmanship can transform raw stone into timeless contemporary design pieces.