Finding a unifying thread across the wide array of installations, exhibitions and product launches that defined this year\u2019s Milan Design Week (April 20\u201330) is no easy task. Or perhaps it is. On closer inspection, a common perspective emerges: a shared gaze directed toward the past, in search of inspiration.<\/p>\n
MINI and Paul Smith, a story in colour<\/strong><\/p>\n The installation A Garden of Curiosity<\/em>, staged within the historic Palazzo Borromeo d\u2019Adda on Via Manzoni, celebrated a long-standing and distinctly British partnership between MINI and designer Paul Smith. This collaboration is renewed today not through a concept, but \u2014 for the first time \u2014 with a production-ready special edition.<\/p>\n The new MINI SE Paul Smith blends dandy-inflected styling with artisanal attention to detail and high-tech content \u2014 a balance that defines the latest MINI language. Smith\u2019s signature motifs appear throughout, from multicolour woven stripes on the steering wheel to refined interior accents, while the exterior draws the eye with bespoke finishes such as the specially developed Nottingham Green.<\/p>\n The display paired the new model with the historic Paul Smith 40th Anniversary MINI from 1999 \u2014 a one-off example from the final Rover-era generation, finished in a distinctive Smith-inspired livery. Extending into the garden, the installation also featured an interactive room where visitors, between April 21 and 26, were invited to compose ever-changing arrangements using colourful fabric panels applied to the walls.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Renault Twingo, fun and pop<\/strong><\/p>\n With the new Twingo E-Tech Electric, Renault completes its \u201cnostalgia operation\u201d, following the electric revivals of the R5 and R4 \u2014 and shaping what already feels like an instant success.<\/p>\n Here, design takes centre stage, reinterpreting and amplifying the qualities that made the original Twingo so engaging. From its playful proportions to the launch green colour \u2014 once earning it the affectionate nickname \u201cfrog\u201d \u2014 the new model embraces its heritage with clarity and intent.<\/p>\n At the RNLT flagship store in Via Garibaldi, in the heart of Brera, two large-scale sculptures by designer and scenographer Marcantonio remain on display until June 2. Drawing on the car\u2019s inherent friendliness, the works reinterpret its design cues with wit: the arched full-LED headlights become eyes, the logo suggests nostrils, and the bumper defines expressive \u201ccheeks.\u201d The installation recreates a stylised pond in which three sculptural \u201cfrogs\u201d appear perfectly at ease.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Lotus articulates \u201cTheory 1\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n For Lotus enthusiasts, the promise embedded in the Theory 1 concept was already evident. In contrast to recent models that seemed to drift away from the brand\u2019s founding principles \u2014 established by Colin Chapman \u2014 by growing in size, weight and power, this essential three-seat sports car returns to core values: lightness, purity and driver engagement.<\/p>\n Developed under the direction of Ben Payne, Theory 1 was presented at the House of Automotive in Via Tortona in a bespoke Au livery, pairing black and gold in homage to the iconic Lotus 72 John Player Special. The interpretation was created in collaboration with Italian fashion house Larusmiani.<\/p>\n Accompanying the car, the exhibition In Progress<\/em> displayed chassis and body components from the Type 72 Formula 1 car \u2014 one of the key inspirations behind Theory 1 \u2014 alongside references to two other defining models: the lightweight Eleven barchetta and the wedge-shaped Esprit designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. Together, they outline a manifesto for the brand\u2019s near future.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Lepas L6, diverging directions<\/strong><\/p>\n Milan Design Week is not only about revisiting the past \u2014 it also serves as a platform for those looking decisively ahead. This is the case for Lepas, a new brand from the Chery Group, making its Italian debut as an independent player alongside names such as Omoda and Jaecoo.<\/p>\n Here, Lepas unveiled the L6, a compact SUV measuring 4.5 metres in length and offered in two distinct powertrain variants. Rather than relying on off-road clich\u00e9s or overtly fashionable cues, the design draws inspiration \u2014 in both name and form \u2014 from the sleek, sinuous figure of a leopard, suggesting a refined and grounded sense of sportiness.<\/p>\n This dual identity is most clearly expressed in the front-end treatment: the fully electric version features a closed, sharply defined surface, while the plug-in hybrid adopts a more traditional approach, centred around a large, rounded grille with a graphic pattern reminiscent of whiskers. Two distinct interpretations, expressing complementary yet clearly differentiated design directions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/autodesignmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/MINI-Mia-Ceran-Paul-Smith-Holger-Hampf.jpg\")
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