For the upcoming edition of Milan Design Week 2026, Iris Ceramica Group returns with a multi-layered program that combines material innovation, storytelling and interdisciplinary collaboration. Hosted on ICG Gallery in the center of the city, the presentation of the Group was developed under the general theme Fuorisalone “Be the Project”, interpreted through his own curatorial lens “The People Behind”, an idea that places people at the center of a project.
The Italian company’s showroom will be packed this year, hosting two outstanding projects showcasing three new Sapienstone ceramic surfaces and a new chapter in Diesel Living’s ten-year partnership with Iris Ceramica. Open April 20 to 26 in their main position in Via Santa Margherita 4we’re curious to see how the brand will merge these many innovations into their human-centric theme.
Diesel Living Acid Majolica Pearl © Iris Ceramica Group
Diesel Living Colourblock 1 © Iris Ceramica Group
Diesel Living Acid Majolica Silver © Iris Ceramica Group
Diesel Living Colourblock 2 © Iris Ceramica Group
Diesel Living Acid Majolica Silver © Iris Ceramica Group
Sapienstone Muschelkalk © Iris Ceramica Group
Sapienstone Travessa © Iris Ceramica Group
Sapienstone Travessa © Iris Ceramica Group
Sapienstone Breccia Pink 4D © Iris Ceramica Group
Instead of setting up a showcase of conventional products, the Iris Ceramica Group constructs a narrative environment in which the surfaces bear witness to who created them, traces of authorship. The exhibition places ‘Person’ as the starting point of design, shedding light on the creative identities that allow our objects and materials to exist. This ideology extends beyond physical appearance, through a live podcast series in four episodes that will include guests from haute cuisine, design and fashion, reflecting the human dimension of a creative practice.
Central point of the exhibition is Reloaded: Diesel Living with Iris Ceramicamarking a new beginning in the tenth year of the partnership. Developed under his creative direction Glenn Martens in collaboration with Controventothe project introduces a renewed aesthetic direction that combines technological experimentation with Diesel’s distinctive, subversive visual language, brought to life through the technical expertise of Iris Ceramica.
The collection is structured around two color blocks, compositional systems that combine large-sized slabs with smaller, traditional ceramic surfaces. Two surfaces anchor the narrative conceptually: Distressed Rug takes as its source the Persian rug tradition, translating classic motifs into contemporary pieces, while Acid Majolica reinterprets Portuguese majolica with a deliberate distortion, destabilizing its pattern for a bold effect. These configurations juxtapose materials and finishes, including metallic glazing, majolica textures and stone-inspired surfaces, creating layered, ‘pop’ compositions.
The key factor is that of the Group Design Your Plates (DYS) technology, which allows for high levels of customization, effectively turning ceramic surfaces into expressive canvases. At Reloaded, this technology is used to produce highly personalized surfaces, reinforcing the idea of ceramics as a medium for contemporary personal and stylistic expression rather than purely architectural applications.
Alongside Diesel Living with Iris Ceramica, Sapienstonea brand within the Iris Ceramica Group, presents three new ceramic surfaces that translate geological references into high performance ceramic surfaces. Designed as a kind of “haute couture” for interiors, these materials explore the contrast between physical memory and industrial precision.
traverse draws on travertine, recreating its layered layering and tonal range from ivory to hazel, offered in natural and cashmere finishes. Breccia Rosa 4D reinterprets the Verona marble, characterized by complex color compositions of antique pink and terracotta shades. Its defining feature is 4D technology, which extends the design across the entire thickness of the plate, ensuring visual continuity even when it is cut or processed. Finally, Shell limestone refers to a rare Central European limestone, notable for its fluid transitions between warm grey, beige and slate hues, maintaining color consistency over large areas.
All three are produced in 320×160 cm slabs of varying thicknesses, combining aesthetic refinement with the structural performance required for both residential and commercial applications.
The show will also be extended to a social and educational dimension, through him Fourth Fire® initiative, a charity project run by the Fondazione Iris Ceramica group in collaboration with Save the Children, Anffas and other organizations. Quarto Fuoco® will become a staple in collaboration with the chef Davide Oldanias Olmo and D’O restaurants will host four special dishes designed by people from the charity, creating a unique culinary experience with themes of humanity, passion and inspiration. Here, ceramics will function not only as a material but as a tool of inclusion and storytelling.
In his various presentations, Iris Ceramica Group articulates a coherent position: ceramics are not just surfaces, but bearers of meaning, shaped by human and personal intention and capable of bridging different disciplines and different imaginaries. Either through the expressive compositions of Diesel Living with Iris Ceramica, his material reinterpretations Sapienstoneor the socially engaged practices of Quarto Fuoco®, the Group frames its work in a wider cultural discourse.
At Milan Design Week 2026, this approach takes on particular resonance as we realize that design is not so much about the objects but the people who think of them, who make them and use them. Iris Ceramica GroupHis contribution expands on the original theme of Fuorisalone, suggesting that “to be the work” is not only to design, but to embed oneself in a network of relationships that enable creation.
In this sense, ceramics no longer become neutral settings, but narrative devices, where identities and partnerships are inscribed, capable of holding memory, intention and cultural value. This approach positions the Group as a storyteller beyond being a maker, using its capabilities and materials to articulate a design vision that is both technological and deeply human.
