Milanese design week ignites as casa milana unveils new collections
Milan is buzzing as the city prepares for Design Week, and a unique creative hub, Casa Milana, is set to unveil a collection of innovative rugs, glassware, and furniture during the event. Gabriella Campagna, a native New Yorker and co-founder, describes the atmosphere as ‘feeling like New York’ – a testament to the studio’s transatlantic roots.
A new chapter in italian design
Founded by Mario and Gabriella Milana, Casa Milana began as a quiet ambition in Brooklyn before the couple traded the relentless energy of New York City for the relaxed sensibilities of Italy. Their journey culminated in a stunning limestone building in Brera, a neighborhood steeped in history and artistic tradition. This relocation, coupled with a long-held meditation practice, has shaped the studio’s ethos – a blend of functional design and mindful living.
“We’ve been working with metals since the beginning,” Mario Milana explains, showcasing their oxidized iron table, the Velum. “It’s such a pure, beautiful material that gives you so many options in expressivity.” The studio’s furniture pieces, from the flexible Vertebra chair to the modular Frequenza shelving system, prioritize interaction and adaptability, a departure from rigid, static designs.
Casa Milana’s collaboration with Beni, a Moroccan rug producer, is particularly noteworthy. The Unione collection, inspired by the terrazzo floors of their apartment, reflects this connection. “They brought us the challenge of taking something hard, fixed, and architectural and translating it into something soft, warm, and full of movement,” says Robert Wright, a co-founder of Beni. “Gabriella was pouring coffee, there were interesting people sitting around chatting, and it created this rare moment of pause.”
Beyond rugs and furniture, the studio is introducing new meditation mats, woven at an elevated pile height and designed with a maternal quality, referencing the ‘Madre de Agua’ glass collection – a series of vessels designed to be held and cherished. “There’s this subtle interaction that is almost maternal,” Milana says, “which is why we called the collection Madre de Agua. It gets back to this idea of respect, life, the womb.”
The studio’s commitment to artisanal craftsmanship and collaborative partnerships underscores its vision: ‘to present not just what is happening, but why it matters.’ With Design Week approaching, Casa Milana is poised to capture the attention of discerning design enthusiasts and solidify its position as a leading voice in contemporary Italian design – a vibrant intersection of global perspectives and local artistry.