Milan Design Week 2019

DesignByThem at Milan Design Week. Celebrating 12 years of design & launch of Dion Lee collaboration.

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Celebrating 12 years of design & launch of Dion Lee collaboration.

As part of Milan Design Week 2019, DesignByThem will be showcasing over 30 signature pieces as well as the international debut of a new furniture collaboration between DBT founders/designers Sarah Gibson and Nicholas Karlovasitis and Australian fashion designer Dion Lee at our first ever European solo exhibition.

Set amongst a secluded courtyard in the Isola District, we'll be transforming art studio Viafarini – a space known by locals for its support of creativity and collaboration – into a design playground filled with a curated collection of Australian designed chairs, tables and lounges.

Showcasing Australian designers: Stefan Lie, Tom Fereday, Trent Jansen, Seaton Mckeon, Jon Goulder, Daniel Tucker, Marcel Sigel, Nikolai Kotlarczyk, Elliot Bastianon, Dion Lee, Sarah Gibson and Nicholas Karlovasitis.

The new DL Seating Collection, a collaboration by Sarah Gibson, Nicholas Karlovasitis (AKA GibsonKarlo) and Dion Lee, will be the first interdisciplinary project for DesignByThem with the merging of fashion and industrial design principles. The new pieces combine the sculpturally tailored aesthetic recognised in Dion Lee garments with the timeless structural details of GibsonKarlo designs.

As DesignByThem continues to expand with increased business and interest from clients outside of Australia, the show will be a welcome opportunity for international guests to touch, try and meet the products themselves.



  • Sarah: "We see Milan as the perfect setting for the launch of our collaboration with fashion designer Dion Lee. The cross-over between fashion and furniture is none more evident than in Milan. In fact, it was during a trip to Milan several years ago that the concept came to be."
  • Nicholas: "It’s a timely launch for our brand in Europe, with international interest in DesignByThem at an all-time high. We have built a long-standing following in Australia over the past 12 years and are looking forward to extending that overseas."






Gallery Image courtesy of Lorenzo Kamerlengo ©2017 Federica Boffo
Product photography by Pete Daly
Designer photography by Fiona Susanto

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