A Letter From Nancy: Milan 2025 (Part 1)

After attending this year’s Milan Design Week, I’m filled with joy and pride seeing our Vancouver designers and companies shine on the international stage.

Bocci collaborated with David Alhadeff from Future Perfect to transform their apartment into something fresh, hospitable, and dreamy. Their lighting was shown in a completely new context, breathing life into designs that are over 20 years old, while introducing never-before-seen pieces. It was one of the most exciting and emotionally resonant exhibitions at the show.

A-N-D had a presence both at the fairgrounds and in town. Their Salone booth was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen—exquisite colours and thoughtful layout perfectly showcasing the product. After 10 years, you could sense the direction they’re heading in. Meanwhile, their in-town installation, set in an old bank and co-curated with BOON, created moody, compelling spaces. The pieces truly stood out, and the whole experience elevated their collection to a new level.

Christian Woo had his first trip to the Milan fair, with his first collection for Zanotta. Seeing an esteemed historical company take Christian’s ideas and make them their own is wonderful. I can’t wait to hear from Christian about how it felt. Congratulations!

And of course, Bensen—a company very close to my heart. Their new offerings were stunning. The booth had a calm beauty to it, and the designs themselves were, quite simply, competently fantastic. You can feel that they’ve hit their stride. Despite the challenges of our times, Bensen has found new dealers and is now sold in 63 countries. That’s an extraordinary accomplishment for any company, let alone one based right here in Vancouver.

There was also a large contingent of Vancouver interior designers and architects in Milan this year, eager to immerse themselves in global design culture. That’s amazing. These people take time out of their personal and professional lives because they believe in the power of design.

Of course, we explored designs from across Europe, Africa, Japan— you name it. But seeing our own creative community represented and celebrated on such a prominent international stage was incredibly moving. We didn’t wave Canadian flags around, but the pride was palpable. What these designers have achieved—through creativity, hard work, inspiration, and sheer stick-to-itiveness—is a true inspiration.

We all believe that design matters. Bad design makes life harder while good design elevates the everyday—from a spoon, to a coffee maker, to your favourite chair or light. It’s worth investing in. These companies and all the people who came to Milan clearly believe that too. They’re investing their time and energy in making the world a little better through design.

With admiration and excitement,

Nancy