As the biggest design event in the calendar, Milan Design Week invites all manner of superlatives. Yet beyond the hyperbole lies its true value: it is not merely a showcase of cutting-edge design, but a celebration of the industry as a whole.
The entire ecosystem of design is represented: the makers, manufacturers, suppliers, buyers, and of course the press. Attending events of this scale and attention, it is impossible to ignore the vast amount of coverage, and the effort and consideration that goes into creating and documenting stories.
I am thinking in particular of stories that transcend the noise of trends, gimmicks, and hashtags, which I try consciously to avoid. At Richard Parr Associates we prize the considered, the curated, and the critical, over the merely ‘influential’.
The role of the editorial press, in elevating these conversations, is vital. Despite the persistent claim that “print is dead,” the reality suggests otherwise. The craft of making and equally, the craft of documenting, writing, and publishing, has not merely endured, but evolved in step with digital formats.
This was particularly evident at two global arts events I attended this year (Art Basel in Hong Kong and Milan Design Week), and so I wanted to share my appreciation of several editorial titles whose coverage and hospitality continue to foster meaningful conversations and connections.
I am grateful to The Financial Times for hosting me in Hong Kong, where a spirited exchange of ideas set against the city’s luminous skyline proved invigorating. Their year-long coverage across Life & Arts, House & Home, and HTSI charts the evolving narratives of the best of what the design world has to offer.
In Milan, Cabana presented a feast not only for the eye but for the intellect also. An evening at Casa Cabana – dining with friends amidst layered textures and rich hues – was a true highlight. Dinner was paired with a special preview of Speak, Memory, a collaboration between artists Martina Mondadori and Deborah Needleman.
The Wall Street Journal showcased their Milan presence in style with cocktails at Palazzo Durini. To step into 17th-century chambers animated by contemporary art proved a compelling synthesis of heritage and innovation.
Design Anthology’s wonderfully curated programme included studio visits, exhibitions, and meeting designers. In all reflecting a profound design literacy, ably translated from printed page to lived experience.
In both Hong Kong and Milan, the essence of what I encountered was not merely captured but shaped by these pillars of editorial achievement. Their role extends beyond documentation – they frame, they edit, and, crucially, they contribute meaningfully to the discourse that defines design today.
