Arket's fruit carousel is a playful manifesto at Milan Design Week

Arket has been drawing attention at the 2026 Milan Design Week by transforming a traditional carousel into an unexpected installation by artist and chef Laila Gohar. Installed at the Giardino delle Arti, the project replaces the classic horses with oversized fruits and vegetables, creating a setting that is at once familiar and surreal.

(Arket/Divulgação)

The intervention stems from an antique carousel — dating to the late 18th century — which was preserved and reinterpreted with minimal alterations. Rather than altering its structure, Gohar opts to insert simple, solid, and recognizable sculptural elements, exploring the impact of scale and repetition to recontextualize everyday objects.

(Arket/Divulgação)

More than an exhibition piece, the installation functions as an interactive space open to the public, inviting visitors to take part in the experience. The choice of the carousel reinforces the idea of play and collectivity, aligned with the artist’s intention to create something accessible and shareable — a direct extension of her research into beauty in everyday life.

(Arket/Divulgação)

The project also marks the launch of Gohar’s first ready-to-wear collection in collaboration with Arket, comprising 27 pieces. Like the installation, the line straddles the practical and the imaginative, reflecting the artist’s interest in bringing together fashion, food, and design in a single aesthetic language.

(Arket/Divulgação)

Over the days, the space also hosts activations that expand the universe of the installation, including a café with a menu conceived in dialogue with the visual proposal and gatherings that bring audiences closer together. This more sensorial dimension reinforces Laila Gohar’s interest in transforming food into an aesthetic language — not only as an object, but as a starting point for experiences that move between design, fashion, and conviviality.