Milan’s Salone del Mobile: Zona Tortona

Like many (ok, most) New Yorkers, I've sacrificed the luxury of an amply sized abode for a mouse-eaten closet solely to preserve my Manhattan-dwelling status. No matter that my walls are bare and walking around barefoot yields a podiatric porcupine of splinters, retiring to my Manhattan apartment at the end of each day (or early each morning) is a craved reassurance that I belong in this great city.
And then there are the Italians. The same people responsible for wet dreams and clogged arteries really do have it all, defying that old New York myth that you can't land the perfect job, apartment, and spouse. Because regardless of their marital and employment status, they'll always live in a palace of their own making. Like any major metropolis' mass housing, their toilet may be in their living room, but chances are it's made of malachite and surrounded in Bisazza mosaic tiling.

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So it’s no surprise that Milan, the city both revered and reviled for its authoritative grip on basically every form of artistic expression, would host its own Design Week. Exponentially bigger than fashion week, this once-yearly festival is citywide and runs virtually 24/7. The real heart of the action lies in the otherwise serene alleyway via Tortona, which, almost overnight is massively made over into “Zona Tortona,” where every crevice and storefront becomes home to a different take on conceptual design.

This ain’t no three-day fest at the Javitz Center. Zona Tortona is the epicenter of everything fabulous, hosting interior design concepts and pop-up art galleries, showcasing both local and foreign commissioned work as well as an expo for clothing designers with interior or architectural backgrounds. It’s the perfect haven for the lucky reapers of the Brooklyn boom who have actual space to play with. If you’re lucky enough to be here, you can scope out all the locations at www.tortonalocations.com, or just sidle through the crowds and enjoy the masses. Here’s a list of my most memorable—definitely worth checking out, and conveniently located on the via Tortona strip.

Even if you shudder at the thought of interior design and the term “Italian marble” does nothing for you, these design concept mini-shows are so off the wall, they’re still something to behold. Check out Via Design France, the Veuve Cliquot Design Lounge (No. 15); Cleaf Appartamento Lago (No. 21); Metropolis (No. 24), an off-color collection of special effects paints—perfect fodder for the budding graffiti artist; and Lochness (No. 28), a mind-bending tour of experimental architecture from all around the world.

Another noteworthy stop pays homage to the brand that made last summer that much better for New Yorkers: Ikea’s 20 years of Design in Italy, a virtual timeline through the innovative decades the Swedish wonder has been selling in Italy. Don’t miss the exhibit “Squares” by Frederik Roije, a contemporary architectural take on chairs and bookshelves for the modern (or just plain weird) home by famed Dutch architect.

I found the pop-up fashion showrooms equally as tantalizing, starting with Sartoria Vico (No. 22), a revolution in Italian active wear that includes suede-covered Vespa helmets and women’s swimwear augmented with men’s shirt collars. Kingsize New Atelier (No. 26) should’ve included a dressing room, as I wanted one of every accessory they carried in fluorescents that hurt my eyes. There was a crowd just to get in to see the latest by designer Daniela Rondine, whose eclectic mix of coats and the odd piece of millinery screams Pucci meets Frank Gehry.

All-in-all, a day canvassing the Zona Tortona will leave your mind racing and your credit card companies racing after you.