The Milan Design Week has become a bit of a mess. Honestly, it’s something most of us in the industry feel. Over the years, what used to be a space for genuine conversations about design has turned into a competition of ego and excess (and yeah, we’re definitely not playing that game).

People queue for hours just to grab something for free, only to resell it later on Vinted, instead of actually experiencing what’s around them. And that creates a real problem for those of us who come to Milan to work, to connect, and to find inspiration. In practice, it’s almost impossible to get into places. Everything is expensive. Not just expensive, ridiculously so. The old excuse, “well, it’s Milan,” doesn’t really hold up anymore. And yet, we’re still here, because the truth is: if you’re not here, you don’t exist.

This year, we don’t want to do anything spectacular. Or rather, we want to do something meaningful for everyone. We won’t be giving away anything, except a flower. Samu’s mother’s favorite flower. Because in a world that often feels like it’s falling apart, even if it sounds like a cliché, we still believe in the idea that a flower can stop a war. Or at least, we want to believe it. Because if we stop believing that, then we’re really in trouble.