Milan 2016: the old model of working for royalties is "completely dead" according to Stefano Giovannoni, the latest designer to turn entrepreneur and launch his own brand. More about Furniture designers ditch "dead" royalty system and launch their own brands
Milan 2016: London studio Industrial Facility has designed a solid wood "chair for church" for Italian furniture brand Mattiazzi (+ slideshow). More about Industrial Facility's stackable Tronco chair for Mattiazzi is designed for church congregations
Business news: Molteni has become the latest Italian design brand to appoint a non-Italian creative director, signing up Belgian architect and designer Vincent Van Duysen for the role. More about Molteni&C appoints Vincent Van Duysen as creative director to get "more sophisticated look"
Milan 2016: a hollow head-shaped chamber by Fabio Novembre and a geometrically decorated "prison" by Alessandro Mendini are presented as conceptual interior spaces at the Rooms – Novel Living Concepts show (+ slideshow). More about Rooms – Novel Living Concepts show in Milan presents interior architecture by Italian designers
Milan 2016: Moroso has transformed its Milan showroom into an exhibition space filled with products by Ron Arad, marking a longstanding relationship between the Italian company and the Israeli designer (+ slideshow). More about Moroso's Spring to Mind exhibition celebrates 25 years of creative collaboration with Ron Arad
American musician Prince has died suddenly aged 57. By changing his name to a graphic symbol for a period, the artist elevated himself to icon status that would last a lifetime, according to the logo's designer. More about "Prince was the Nike swoosh before Nike was" says musician's symbol designer
Milan 2016: Dutch designer Bastiaan Buijs' latest sex-inspired furniture piece is a BDSM version of Gerrit Rietveld's iconic Red and Blue Chair, which aims to "shine light" on sexual taboos. More about Bastiaan Buijs turns Rietveld chair into kinky BDSM device
A replica of the Palmyra Arch – a 2,000-year-old Syrian architectural landmark believed to have been destroyed by Islamic militant group ISIS – has been erected in London's Trafalgar Square. More about Replica of destroyed Syrian archway erected in London's Trafalgar Square
Opinion: initiatives like What Design Can Do's Refugee Challenge encourage designers to believe that they can solve international problems that go far beyond their reach, says Ruben Pater. More about "Treating the refugee crisis as a design problem is problematic"
Milan 2016: Studio Job has updated its collection of mosaic tiles for Italian brand Bisazza, including a range influenced by Britain's Industrial Revolution. More about Studio Job updates collection of mosaic tiles for Bisazza
Milan 2016: food and drinks giant PepsiCo is expanding its design team from 100 to 160 and opening studios around the world, following the success of its inaugural studio in New York (+ slideshow). More about PepsiCo to hire more designers to build "a critical mass of design people"
Milan 2016: New York designer Karim Rashid has created a set of aluminium bottles for drinks brand Pepsi, one of a series of megabrands that presented in Milan this year. More about Karim Rashid unveils Prestige Pepsi bottles and drinking accessories
Milan 2016: Chinese studio MAD Architects has created a door handle based on the shape of the firm's skyscrapers in Mississauga, Canada, which have been nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe Towers. More about MAD models Marilyn door handle on its curvaceous Canadian skyscrapers
Milan 2016: students from the Lund University have collaborated with the co-founder of Danish brand Hay to produce a range of experimental office furniture especially for small-scale workplaces (+ slideshow). More about Rolf Hay and Lund University students design alternatives to corporate office furniture
Milan 2016: in response to the vast amount of finished products on show at Milan design week, a group of graduates from Design Academy Eindhoven decided to exhibit only materials (+ slideshow). More about Design Academy Eindhoven graduates present "everything but the end product" in Milan
Milan 2016: plans for an oversized armchair that would be formed inside a growing tree trunk and a massive logo that changes colour with the seasons featured in Dutch designer Maarten Baas's New! Newer! Newest! exhibition (+ slideshow). More about Maarten Baas proposes tree-grown armchair at New! Newer! Newest! exhibition
New York's Museum of Modern Art is closing its architecture and design galleries for refurbishment, but the institution is unable to confirm that they will reopen in the same format. More about Future uncertain for MoMA's architecture and design galleries
Milan 2016: Italian design studio Tipic has created a smart kitchen countertop that integrates various interactive functions including a sink that appears out of the surface with a simple gesture (+ movie). More about Tipic's smart Tulèr kitchen features a sink that appears with the wave of a hand
Milan 2016: students at Design Academy Eindhoven no longer aspire to be famous designers and instead want to work in industry, according to designer Andrea Trimarchi of Formafantasma, who teaches at the school. More about Design Academy Eindhoven students no longer seek fame, says Andrea Trimarchi
Milan 2016: Dutch designer Bertjan Pot has created a colourful textile to upholster Cassina's Utrecht armchair, designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1935. More about Bertjan Pot designs bespoke Jacquard textile for Cassina's iconic Utrecht armchair