Wood, steel, leather. These are the materials we expect to see when we head to Milan each spring to take in the industry’s novelties. But 2026 had a major surprise in store. Woven wicker, traditionally the domain of coastal grandmother retreats, has recaptured the attention of many major Italian manufacturers. And while rattan statement chairs were having a major moment at both Salone del Mobile and the city’s showrooms, designers were also paying tribute to weaving construction techniques through larger-scale architectural installations. Here’s our recap of all the Milan Design Week 2026 moments that cemented wicker’s return to the spotlight.
1
Farm to Form to Fair
At Alcova, students from the University of the Arts Bremen showcased the outcomes of a series of academic workshops led by experienced basket weavers. Each student learned to harvest their own materials and produce designs that ranged from stools and vessels to hats and boots.
2
Moor
Vincent Van Duysen’s sweeping chaise longue for B&B Italia wraps rattan around a bronzed nickel frame, which peeks out at the feet.
3
R 513
Hearkening back to cane’s last big heyday, Gervasoni used its Salone booth to reintroduce this Vico Magistretti design from the 1980s, now back in production.
4
Hotte
Philippe Starck looked to the fruit harvest baskets worn on farmers’ backs to develop the shape of Cassina’s leather-cushioned high-back chair made by handweaving willow around vertical rattan inserts.
5
La Volupté
Rossana Orlandi gave Beirut studio Atelier L’inconnu’s two-seater — a celebration of traditional Lebanese craft — pride of place in her gallery’s courtyard.
6
When Apricots Blossom
Part of an exhibition in Brera organized by Uzbekistan to spotlight the Aral Sea region, WHY Architecture’s latticed wood pavilion took inspiration from vernacular yurt construction.
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