
Milan Design Week has at all times been a worldwide stage for innovation in furnishings, lighting and interiors — however in 2025, automakers are capturing a few of the highlight. Extra automotive manufacturers than ever are utilizing the occasion to transcend the showroom, positioning themselves as way of life tastemakers, design authorities and sustainability leaders.
This 12 months’s version noticed the likes of Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati, Maserati, Audi, Kia, Royal Enfield and extra take over Milan with artwork installations, product unveilings and immersive model experiences. However this shift isn’t nearly aesthetics, it’s about credibility, storytelling and reaching an viewers that will by no means set foot in a automotive dealership.
Mixing Luxurious with Design Heritage
Bugatti, for instance, opened its first everlasting Bugatti Residence Atelier contained in the 18th-century Palazzo Gallarati Scotti. The house launched alongside a brand new furnishings assortment that includes sculptural chairs, Murano-blown glassware and 3D-printed trays. “The brand new Bugatti Residence Atelier attracts on Milan’s legacy in design and vogue,” mentioned Wiebke Ståhl, Managing Director of Bugatti Worldwide. By putting itself inside Milan’s design ecosystem, Bugatti is reinforcing its id as a model that values craftsmanship as a lot as velocity.
Ferrari took a special method, spotlighting its engineering roots. At its boutique on Through Giovanni Berchet, the model launched Symbols of a Legacy — a group of display-grade engine parts, together with elements from the LaFerrari prototype and the 1999 F399 System 1 automotive. Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, Flavio Manzoni, defined that the gathering aimed to “reveal the emotion of the challenge” by way of architectural purity and minimalist design.
Collaborations That Matter
Lamborghini and Ducati used Design Week to unveil a hyper-limited motorbike: the Panigale V4 Lamborghini Speciale Clienti. Impressed by the hybrid Revuelto, the 63 customized bikes are designed to match every Lamborghini proprietor’s private automotive specs. It’s a considerate fusion of name loyalty and bespoke design that goals to show purchasers into collectors.
Maserati and Italian furnishings home Giorgetti took issues even additional. The duo offered a furnishings assortment and a one-off Grecale Folgore SUV completed in denim-colored leather-based and blue wooden. From the Trident-themed chairs to the Alcantara-wrapped headrests, each aspect tied again to Maserati’s DNA. Commenting on the collaboration, Giorgetti CEO Giovanni del Vecchio shared: “It is a shared ethos, not only a standalone challenge.”
Innovation, Electrification and City Design
For manufacturers like Kia, Milan was a platform to showcase future-forward design and sustainability. Its Transcend Journey set up featured three electrical ideas: the PV5, PV5 WKNDR and EV2. The PV5, launching later this 12 months, boasts as much as 248 miles of vary and 30-minute quick charging. The WKNDR mannequin added photo voltaic panels and off-board storage, whereas the EV2 reimagined city EVs with detachable audio system and versatile seating.
Royal Enfield’s new electrical sub-brand, Flying Flea, debuted a one-off artwork bike known as Motototem, created with Italian artist Mattia Biagi. Constructed from travertine, leather-based, walnut and hand-blown glass, the bike turned engineering into sculpture. Nonetheless absolutely rideable, the FF-C6-based machine retains Qualcomm-powered tech, proving that high-end design and performance can coexist.
In the meantime, Audi performed to the attraction of customization. Its A6 Avant present automotive got here trimmed in Baikal Blue and Neodymium Gold with recycled supplies and OLED lighting tech. The automaker additionally offered a “Materials Bar,” which allowed company to get hands-on expertise with new trim choices, whereas digital instruments enabled them to design dream automobiles on the spot.
Why It Issues
So why are automotive manufacturers investing in Milan Design Week? One phrase: relevance.
Design Week attracts over 300,000 international guests, together with tastemakers, architects, inside designers and creatives. By taking part, automotive manufacturers shift perceptions — they grow to be cultural gamers, not simply transportation suppliers.
It’s additionally a strategic search engine optimization and branding play. In accordance with Google Traits, searches for “Milan Design Week” spike by over 400% every April. By embedding themselves within the dialog, manufacturers enhance visibility and cultural capital.
As automotive, structure and artwork proceed to intersect, Milan Design Week is turning into a necessary checkpoint for automakers trying to flex their inventive muscular tissues. In an age when design sells simply as a lot as efficiency, displaying up in Milan isn’t simply sensible — it’s obligatory.