Organizing a trip to Milan’s Design Week takes more than just knowing about the top events not to miss. Packing the right suitcase, getting around town, and optimizing a day bag to make sure the busiest week of the year is an enjoyable one. It’s with this in mind that we start our latest series of interviews to the veterans of Milan Design week, talking about how to take on the 2018 Salone and Fuorisalone.
First up is Dana Tomic Hughes, the interior designer, influencer, and founder of Yellowtrace, the Australian publication promoting design through the avant-garde. Since 2010, Yellowtrace has been behind high quality publications covering everything from interiors to architecture, art, travels, culture, and more.
To create content, Dana travels the world with her partner and husband, photographer Nick Hughes. The two are on the constant hunt for new creative talent, and naturally, the Salone of Milan brings them back to Italy every April. “Of all the Design Weeks, Milan is my absolute favorite,” she explains.
“So much so, that we’ve launched a project to virtually bring it back to Australia”. Titled Milantrace, it’s a series of talks organized by Dana, now in its 4th edition, focused on bringing the best of the international event back to her local community in Sydney. Told through the eyes of the designer and through the lens of her husband, Dana is busy at work preparing for another year of Milan Design Week.
How many times have you been to the Salone del Mobile?
8 times, this will be our 9th and we absolutely can’t wait!
Tell us about a typical day for you at the Salone del Mobile
Thanks to the jet-lag, I wake up from 4 to 6 in the morning, but when I get used to the new time zone, I’m able to sleep until around 8. I also never go to bed before midnight or 1 because I love going to the parties - the rhythm here is just insane.
Throughout the week we try to visit every corner of Milan, from the actual Salone del Mobile to the Salone Satellite at Rho, to Brera, San Babila, 5Vie, Tortona, the Triennale, Ventura Centrale, and a ton of independent galleries and showrooms.
How early do you start organizing for the event?
At least a week before. Normally the schedule is super tight but I always make time to stop and enjoy the city.
What’s the right outfit for a long day of design exploration and the parties that follow?
Looking comfortable and elegant at the same time is a real challenge. The only must for me is comfortable shoes, I never wear heels in those days and am always in sneakers. I pair them with a nice pair of paints and a cotton shirt or a sweater and blazer. Then at night I’ll typically go for a skirt or dress with a warmer sweater or jacket.
What are your must-have objects to bring with you?
I try to start the day light, a bag with the bare minimum: business cards, telephone, portable charger, mints, cocoa butter, and a healthy snack. Before long though, my bag is full of catalogs and objects collected from the stand and showrooms.
How do you get around the city?
With the metro, the tram, or a taxi. If the days are particularly full of appointments, we’ll rent a car with a driver. For the Fuorisalone we try to enjoy everything by foot. The atmosphere in Brera is magical and it’s hard to feel tired when you’re surrounded by all that beauty.
How do you organize your appointments?
Typically I go by zone, but sometimes I have to break the schedule to give priority to a must-see event or for those last minute meetings that always hold surprises.
How do you find the must-see events?
It took years of practice between trial and error to find the most important events to follow as well as those to avoid. Now, I just follow my instinct.
How do you maintain a balanced diet between canapés and cocktails?
It’s not easy. After many years I found the secret is in the breakfast, when I try to eat the most healthy food possible. Then I always bring nuts or a healthy snack in my bag with a bottle of water. When night comes, I can never resist a Spritz, so I have to make up for it when I get back to Australia.
How do you relax between one event and the next?
I grab a seat at the bar and order an aperitivo!
And for a bit of fun?
The entire week for me is pure joy, and I spend a lot of time with my team, a photographer - which is also my partner and husband - and a videomaker based in Milan that we’ve worked with for a few years now.
I really enjoy meeting new designers that inspire me and I try to share as many ideas and opinions with them as possible.
In apertura: Australian designer Dana Tomic Hughes, Yellowtrace's founder, talks about her experience at Milan Design Week 2018.
