GOOD THINKING Google nail it. Marimekko crushed. Loro Piana lost me.
Hi all,
Welcome back to the podcast! We’re breaking the typical companion podcast cadence this week with a fun Milan Design Week 2025 edition.
I was in town for a couple of days and wanted to share everything I saw and a few other bits and pieces I didn’t catch that are worth knowing about.
As always, this pod dives into the biggest trends, shifts, and brands. This week is no different there.
Quick note: This email will get cut off due to all the photos. Carry on in the browser for all the pics.
THIS WEEK’S EPISODE:
* La DoubleJ turns a Milan rooftop into a sound bath — and it worked.
* A Japanese shop proves cool people love golf. So much so, they wear it off-course.
* A tiny non-alc brand shows how small budgets can still win big.
* Google went immersive but nailed it in other ways.
* Marimekko and Laila Gohar was the most FOMO-clap-worthy moment of the week.
* Gucci was beautiful but did it lose itself?
* Muji was classic Muji.
* Belmond took over Airmail’s newstand but their new cookbook isn’t what stood out.
* Porsche x Marzocco was a masterclass in why you need to hire good designers—in a bad way.
* Loro Piana’s was stunning but zero percent ‘quiet’.
* Sigma threw a party you can’t enter — and somehow still won.
* Chiquita also threw a party. But for the wrong crowd?
Enjoy!
What we get into:
LA DOUBLE J
02:27 — HIGH VIBES // Gongs, rooftop rituals, and patterned shoe bags—La Double J's love of high-vibrational is great worldbuilding and great to experience.
TENOHA & OPPURE
10:06 — LIFESTYLE LOVES GOLF // I stumbled into Tenoha, a Japanese shop, And found these rad shoes. Clearly golf-inspired. We discuss why that’s interesting.
11:16 — SMALL BRAND, BIG WIN // A small non-alc brand, Oppure, made big impact with simple basics: repetition & a good location. A nice lesson for smaller fish in a big pond.
PALINURO & ZAZIE
14:11 — NATURAL WINE, GOOD VIBES // Next year I must get a press pass but no invites meant I hit up by fave Milanese wine bar, Palinuro for chilled red, much need food and records. And then popped into Zazie, which was lovely too, if you like quiet but with a vibe, this one is for you.
LOSTE CAFÉ
15:20 — PASTRY WITH A POV // Rhubarb miso pastries, yellow tiles, and great coffee—lots to love.. Loste Café is a great example of brand building in small spaces and small ways.
17:15 — GOOD WORK GOOGLE // Light tunnels and design team docents were great. But what I loved most about Google’s "Making the Invisible Visible" was the products and the displays—pretty shocking.
MARIMEKKO X LAILA GOHAR
29:19 — DESIGN WEEK’S BEST // This was the one. I give it an A++. A line worth waiting in, a reveal worth the FOMO, and the only brand that made the line semi-pleasurable. All the details were right at this one.
GUCCI
41:07 — BAMBOO ENCOUNTERS // Gucci’s massive two-palazzo takeover was filled with art installations, flying kites, and soft green floors. The space was stunning, chill but interesting. But perhaps could have belonged to any brand? We discuss. We talk staffing strategy too.
MUJI
49:47 — QUIETLY ON BRAND // Muji built a tiny home that told a story of ‘reuse’. ‘Functionality’ might have been a better word. We get into why.
AIRMAIL X BELMOND
50:31 — CUTE BOOKS // Airmail’s iconic Milan newsstand has a Belmond lens for Design Week. I loved their new cookbook but it was the other books that had everyone’s attention.
PORSCHE X MARZOCCO
54:41 — MISSED MOMENTUM // This collab should have been a showstopper. Last year’s Rimowa collab was all over my feed for weeks. We get into why it did not hit this year. If you want to know why good design is critical, this is your example.
LORO PIANA
57:02 — QUIET LUXURY? // A velvet-curtained clad quiet ‘movie’ was a great idea. But the dramatic lighting, immersive sets, and spectacle of the whole thing felt very off-brand.
SIGMA & CHIQUITA
01:04:52 — WINDOWS & FOMO // Both threw private parties on the first public day—dangerous. One had windows and one did not and it made a huge difference. Seb Curi’s illustrations were the Chiquita draw for me and I did go back to Chiquita with my daughter the next day and all I have to say is: she loved it. Fun but mismatched with the audience.
TAKEAWAYS
01:05:57 — LESSONS FOR NEXT YEAR // A little recap with some big takeaways.
EXTRA FUN
Stuff I didn’t see but looks great:
* Wish I had made it to Miu Miu’s ‘literary club’.
* Very sad to have missed Prada’s train.
* So many people wanted to see this Lavazza pop-up.
* Loewe and Hermes look very understated and beautiful.
* Not for Design Week but I wanted to see this new Amazon ‘pharmacy’.
That’s all folx.
-Chris
If you read this and liked it, that little heart is there for that. The algo and I appreciate it.
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PPS. All typos are a result of 10 days of mayhem. Gratitude for the patience.
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