I’ve talked about the vagaries of the publishing calendar before and the seemingly erratic way that on-sale dates shift during the year. So, it may come as a surprise that when this issue lands, the most important moment in ELLE Decoration’s annual calendar, Milan design week, will be well underway.
Timings sometimes work in our favour though, and I am writing this letter just over a week before the team and I head out to Italy’s design capital. Closing our edition so near to publication often shocks some who think we work months and months in advance. While we start planning well ahead, of course, being dynamic in the way we print means, even in a world of digital and social immediacy, the magazine retains a freshness and vitality that I feel is integral to our finger-on-the-pulse approach.
This means we are not stymied by the embargoes a lot of our competitors will have had to navigate, so we are able to feature novelties from Milan’s frenzied week before anyone else, bringing you commentaries from some of the world’s most celebrated creatives and revealing this year’s winners from the ELLE Decoration International Design Awards almost as they happen.
The fact that this issue remains on newsstands well into the middle of May means we can also lean in to the idea that Milan is not simply a focus for a week in April every year. The city, its mood and momentum, and its exciting inhabitants all have a lasting impact, not only for those obsessed with design but also for the wider world. This means you’ll also find examples of some inspiring Milanese homes and a new hotel in the heart of the city’s fashion district that’s well worth checking out.
As a counterpoint to all the sleek, shiny Italian design we’re showcasing, it also felt the perfect time to dedicate our Focus section to the state of modern craft. Following the successful rejuvenation of the Collect craft fair in February and the upcoming London Craft Week, the UK’s scene is more vital and vibrant than ever. We explore the future and the different ways we can all interact with craftspeople and use their innovative work in our homes and beyond.
If you’re heading to Milan, good luck and maybe see you for a negroni as we pound the streets. If not, remember to stay glued to elledecoration.co.uk, where our trusty guide will be updated with all the latest happenings and launches. Ciao!
