A Franco Albini villa and never-before-seen spaces in the Baggio Military Hospital: inside Alcova Milano 2026.
Alcova Milano 2026, it was announced yesterday, will take place from April 20–26 across two distinctive Milanese sites: the Baggio Military Hospital and Villa Pestarini. The hospital will unveil previously inaccessible areas, including a church, rectory, and historic archive, highlighting the layered history of the post–WWI complex. Villa Pestarini, the only Milanese villa by Franco Albini, opens to the public for the first time, showcasing his rationalist design and characteristic balance of structure and detail. Together, the sites create a dialogue between preservation and reinvention, hosting designers and studios that reflect the contemporary Italian design scene.
After following suit with the government shutdown, the National Gallery and Smithsonian prepare to reopen.
The Smithsonian will welcome visitors on a staggered schedule, with major museums and the National Zoo reopening by November 17. The National Gallery’s West Building and Sculpture Garden reopen on November 14, followed by the East Building on November 15, debuting the postponed Australian First Nations art exhibition. Past shutdowns have shown that closures significantly affect museum revenue and the broader tourism economy, though institutions are now ready to resume operations.
Beginning in 2026, Salone del Mobile will launch an edition in Saudi Arabia.
Salone del Mobile will debut an edition in Riyadh in late 2026 as part of a cultural and commercial partnership between Italy and Saudi Arabia. The fair will feature Italian and Saudi designers, architects, and brands, supporting the kingdom’s growing design and construction sectors under its Vision 2030 initiative. Ahead of the launch, Salone is staging a three-day preview exhibition in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, showcasing major Italian furniture houses alongside emerging Saudi talent. The initiative aims to strengthen Italy’s design exports while fostering creative exchange and education within Saudi Arabia’s expanding cultural landscape.
L’Oreal is offloading almost $3.5 billion in bonds to fund its acquisition of Kering beauty.
L’Oréal plans to raise almost $3.5 billion through a three-part bond sale to help fund its $4.6 billion purchase of Kering Beauté. The offering includes two-, five-, and ten-year bonds, with proceeds earmarked for the acquisition and other corporate uses. The deal, expected to close in the first half of 2026, will bring brands such as Creed, Balenciaga, and Bottega Veneta under L’Oréal’s beauty portfolio and grant it future rights to develop Gucci fragrances once its current Coty license ends. Meanwhile, Coty’s Swiss subsidiary has filed a lawsuit in the U.K. over Gucci’s beauty licensing, naming Kering and Gucci entities as defendants.
Viral A.I. slop is increasingly topping Spotify and Billboard charts.
A.I.-generated songs are beginning to dominate major music charts, with three synthetic tracks recently topping Spotify’s Viral 50 lists and Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart. “Walk My Walk” and “Livin’ on Borrowed Time” by the group Breaking Rust, along with a Dutch anti-refugee song, all rose to viral status without any human songwriting. Their success coincides with a surge of A.I.-produced content—Deezer estimates 50,000 A.I. songs are uploaded daily, accounting for over a third of new music submissions. Distribution platforms like DistroKid have helped fuel this boom, allowing independent creators to release algorithm-made tracks that now compete directly with human musicians.
Today’s attractive distractions:
The devil wears Valentino Rockstuds, if the new Devil Wears Prada trailer is to be believed.
With Nuestra Cultura Al Mundo, Adidas spotlights Latine skate culture.
More than a fleeting trend, sound system culture is embedded in U.K. music history.
Sofia Coppola was honored by her constellation of film stars at MoMA’s film gala.
