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

Image courtesy of ACDF

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.

The post Wicker Shock: How Rattan Became Milan’s Hottest Material Trend appeared first on Azure Magazine.

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