Discover New Italian Design: Virtual Festival with DDN

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Earlier this year I was invited to take part in Design Diffusion’s DDN Safari Fest 2020 at Milan Design Week. Like many events in 2020, the programme was disrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic, and organisers, designers and bloggers have had to rethink how to share new work and connect with audiences. Despite this, the creative spirit of Milan’s design community endures, and virtual formats have become an important way to showcase innovations in interiors and architecture.

Visiting fairs and meeting people in person is something I hope to do again soon. In the meantime, I’m pleased to join a group of fellow interiors bloggers for a virtual tour of pieces that were due to appear in Milan. Working with Design Diffusion and a selection of respected brands, we’ll bring a taste of the fair to Instagram and other channels, highlighting trends, standout products and inspiring materials.

Here’s the concept in short: ten international bloggers teamed up with Design Diffusion and eight brands from across the design industry to present a virtual festival. Over the coming weeks each blogger will share a curated selection of products, focusing on kitchen and bathroom innovations, surface materials, furniture and architectural solutions worth noting.

The brand partners

Cantori – @cantori_spa

Casalgrande Padana – @casalgrandepadana

Cristina Rubinetterie – @cristinarubinetterie

Doimo Cucine – @doimocucine

Maistri La Cucina – @maistrilacucina

Minotti Cucine – @minotticucine

Quadrodesign – @quadrodesign_official

Viva – @vivaporte

From the previews I’ve seen, the selection includes a range of inspiring work: innovative kitchen and bathroom concepts, elegant furnishings, striking surface treatments and thoughtful architectural details. Each brand brings a distinct perspective, resulting in a varied and contemporary showcase.

The schedule

Across a series of dates, each blogger will share their favourite picks via Instagram Stories and other platforms. Holly from Decor8 opened the tour, and I will share my highlights on 25th June. The full schedule below outlines who will present on which day, giving you the opportunity to follow specific contributors whose taste you enjoy.

15th June – Holly Becker / Decor8 / @decor8

16th June – Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home / @myscandinavianhome

17th June – Agata Dimmich / Passion Shake / @passion_shake

18th June – Desiree Groenendal / Vosges Paris / @vosgesparis

19th June – Igor Josif / Happy Interior Blog / @igorjosif

22nd June – Ula Michalak / Interiors Design Blog / @interiors_design_blog

23rd June – Roberta Mutti / DDN Blog / @designdiffusion

24th June – Ingrid Opstad / That Scandinavian Feeling / @thatscandinavianfeeling

25th June – Helen Powell / Design Hunter / @designhunter_uk

26th June – Elisabetta Rizzato / Italian Bark / @italianbark

29th June – Iko In / Creative Home X / @creativehomemagazine

A heartfelt thank you to the brands involved and to Design Diffusion for inviting me to participate. If you enjoy design discovery, please join us on Instagram over the coming days as each blogger shares a personal selection of favourites and insights from the virtual festival. This is a great way to explore new ideas, find sources of inspiration and stay connected with the design community while live events are on hold.