We continue looking at features and trends from Milan 2026. This time we look at anti- AI ornamentation and punk.
(examples of design that feels computer generated. First two from Rossana Orlandi, purple easy chair at Nilufar Depot, butter yellow sofa from Urquiola at Moroso, purple sofa from Secolo, outdoor sofa from Ethimo, lilac chair at Cassina)
The Glitch
AI is no longer a novelty; it’s part of contemporary design. Over the past year, we’ve seen a surge of organic, almost sci-fi silhouettes shaping sofas and armchairs—fluid, otherworldly forms more generated rather than crafted. One of the most recognisable examples came from Patricia Urquiola for Moroso, though similar explorations appeared across brands such as Meritalia.
And yet, in 2026, something has shifted.
What we are now witnessing feels like a quiet counter-movement—a subtle resistance to the polished perfection of artificial design. I think of it as the Glitch. A deliberate imperfection. A rupture in the system. Perhaps even a longing for the human hand. Or maybe it is simply nature reasserting itself—unpredictable, irregular, impossible to fully control.
Craft is here too. The presence of a human hand.
One of the first pieces I saw in Milan Design Week was the gallery collection by Front for Moroso. They have previously flirted with how nature is affecting design, but now more in the presence of the hand. The geometry inspired pieces have textiles that are AMAZING. Everything is woven. Even the shading. Could AI do that? Maybe, but it feels real.
A similar dialogue emerges in the work of Ai Weiwei for Rubelli. His collection draws from digital culture yet is realised through traditional Chinese craftsmanship—a compelling collision of medium and message, where the “glitch” becomes both concept and process.
Elsewhere, the tables by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) for Nerosicilia stood out. Formed from sustainable lava, their surfaces rise unexpectedly at the centre, complete with cracks and irregularities. These are not errors to be corrected, but features to be embraced—gestures that feel “real”.
At Rossana Orlandi’s gallery, the narrative continued. A softly contoured rattan bench made no attempt to disguise its material or origin; it was proudly handmade, its construction legible.
Sketch-patterned furniture by Kiki & Joost.
Even in smaller details, the theme persists: the fractured surfaces of side tables by Nikari, or the subtle irregularity in wallpaper by Vivienne Westwood for Cole & Son. Imperfection, here, is not a flaw—it is the point.
Which brings me, perhaps inevitably, to Gucci.
Their installation wanted to be “the glitch”—Renaissance-inspired tapestries disrupted by digital distortions. On paper, it aligned perfectly with this emerging narrative. In reality, it felt hollow. Everything was machine-made; the “imperfection” felt calculated and computer generated. Even the floral elements— arranged in plastic trays—lacked any sense of craft. It was more “over the top” than genuine or authentic.
Ornaments, Non-Ornaments — and Layering
Opposites attract. I would say we see an equal amount of minimalism (but focused on geometry) and ornamentation. My trend friends at the Forecast Club and especially Alina and Susanna see a lot of ornamentation. Alina would say it is a season for art nouveau, but then again also art deco.
The cabinet above is from Natalia Triantafylli and Andrew Pierce Scott at Alcova and I see it return at many reports. As I understand it Scott is a carpenter and Triantafylli is a ceramicist giving the doors this ornamented look. Ornamentation means personalisation and if you buy it, you will most likely keep it for life.
Also part of the Forecast Club is Elisabetta and she talks about layering the interior room. Add things from different decades to give it personalisation. Like how Dimore Studio is doing.
Ornamentation is very often non-functional. It is something else. Part of this are all the fringes. We saw fringes everywhere. From Moroso to Knoll and to the young designers.
Art deco was a big part of the Louis Vuitton presentation too. A design with strict reduced shape we also saw at Hermes. And at Marni cafe.
Even Mutina celebrated the square.
Also outlines, something we saw by Faye Toogood at Meritalia, Johanson Design and by Studiopepe at Zanotta.
Spikes and Punk
A third, more vague theme emerges at the edges: punk.
It would be an exaggeration to call it dominant, yet it lingers in the shadows. I am starting to read about it a bit… We will see how it grows. Spikes, chains and a roughness.
Spikes. Above first from Alcova and second from Uzbekistan exhibition.
Chains at Alcova. The thing is – this is not in my aesthtics so I tend to miss a lot of these references…
Hard, stainless steel. Here at Polish exhibition. This is Mati Siporia.
Deliberate broken things. Lamp shade at Dimore Studio and a candle with no candle holder at Muuto. Raw, rough and reuse. Punk?
A gesture and attitude at Rubelli by Ai Weiwei.
In conclusion, it feels less like a fully formed movement and more like a reaction. A pushback against the softness and romanticism that has dominated recent years. The overtly “pretty” is receding.
This rose has thorns…