Opening Milano Design Week

Monday 20 April marked the press day of ROOTS Exhibition Milano 2026 at Masterly – the Dutch in Milano. With the presentation Sleeping Beauty, a Symbiotic Symphony, ROOTS introduced its new exhibition to an international audience of press, curators and design professionals.

From the early morning, the space welcomed visitors exploring a collective presentation of artists, designers and participating labels working at the intersection of nature, technology and material innovation. The exhibition centers on regeneration—approaching “sleep” as a state in which ecosystems restore, materials evolve and new systems emerge.

ROOTS Sleeping Beauty Bed by Josja Boting, Yumeko and LOADS Collection

At the heart of the exhibition stands a bed, setting the tone for a narrative around health, well-being and non-toxic living environments. Surrounding it, a range of bio-based, circular and recycled materials is presented, from experimental biomaterials to reimagined industrial applications.

Press day was also the first moment the full group came together in Milano. The group photo captures this collective: a diverse mix of practices, united by a shared ambition to rethink design through living systems and to create in closer relationship with the natural world.

Throughout the week, the exhibition continues to welcome visitors, offering a space for reflection, exchange and new perspectives on the future of design.