Lotus Returns to Milan Design Week 2026 with "IN PROGRESS," an Immersive Exploration of Design in Motion
- Exhibition "IN PROGRESS" explores Lotus' D.N.A. design principles - Digital, Natural, Analogue - revealing how ideas collide, combine, and accelerate to shape the future of the brand.
- Lotus and Larusmiani, Italy's luxury maison, will unveil Theory 1 in the bespoke Au color — a concept inspired by Lotus' 79 Formula 1 victories, and the contemporary reinvention of the gold within Milan's luxury and automotive culture.
- Through immersive storytelling and technical artifacts, IN PROGRESS reframes performance as an ever-advancing journey rather than a fixed destination.
- Lotus partners with Italian artisans Carpano to bring a refined, craft‑led experience to IN PROGRESS, enriching the environment with a touch of Italian culture.
NEW YORK, April 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lotus Technology Inc. ("Lotus Tech" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:LOT), a leading global intelligent and luxury mobility provider, today announced that Lotus will return to Milan Design Week in 2026 with IN PROGRESS, an exhibition created in collaboration with Haus of Automotive, powered by Konzepthaus, the cultural hub where brands converge and creativity advances. Open from 22–26 April, the installation invites visitors to experience Lotus not as a finished object, but as a brand in continuous motion – defined by curiosity, experimentation and momentum.
As a celebration of the relentless spirit of the Lotus brand, IN PROGRESS reveals the continually evolving process behind Lotus design, engineering, and innovation. At its core is a simple truth: for Lotus, performance is never a finish line. It is a 360-degree journey of constant disruption – where every breakthrough sparks the next, where ideas overlap, combine, and accelerate.
A Brand in Motion
Since 1948, Lotus has shaped automotive culture through lightweight engineering, technical ingenuity, and emotionally charged design. IN PROGRESS captures this evolution - an identity shaped by the productive tension between rebellious energy and advanced technology, where the future of driving is continually rewritten.
This evolution is guided by Lotus' D.N.A. design principles:
- Digital - representing immersive, intelligent, and intuitive experiences
- Natural - expressing emotion, connection, and everything centered on the human body
- Analogue - the continual advancement of performance engineering
Together, these principles define a design language that is both progressive and unmistakably Lotus.
Ben Payne, Vice President of Design of Lotus Tech, said, "IN PROGRESS is an invitation to witness how Lotus thinks, dreams, and creates. Our work is beyond chasing a final form - it's about embracing the momentum that gets us there. Progress, for us, is deeply human. It is shaped by curiosity, by experimentation, and by the willingness to challenge what's expected. This exhibition reveals the living process where the future of Lotus takes shape."
A Creative Dialogue in Motion
The exhibition reveals the processes behind the Lotus philosophy: from simplified structural design and aerodynamics shaped by airflow to ergonomics that creates a "car you wear"; and interfaces that retain a visceral driver connection. Each chapter reveals how Lotus strips back, rebuilds, and reimagines to pursue progressive engineering and expressive design.
The first chapter unfolds through an artist residency developed with Studio Cartoons Deluxe - an exploration of progress as a state of mind, expressed through original digital artworks that interpret movement, experimentation, and breakthrough. It is a reminder that progress is personal, defined by curiosity and the moments that move each of us forward.
Theory 1 x Larusmiani: A Milan Debut
As part of its Milan activities, Lotus has collaborated with Larusmiani, Italy's luxury maison and founding partner of FuoriConcorso, to craft a bespoke campaign that brings together two brands defined by craftsmanship and innovation. The collaboration pairs Larusmiani's refined Italian sensibility with Lotus' future-driven approach to performance and engineering.
At the heart of the IN PROGRESS exhibition, Lotus will display Theory 1. Guided by the brand's D.N.A. principles, Theory 1 draws on the legacy of the Eleven, Type 72, and Esprit to signal the future direction of Lotus design and performance vehicles. Theory 1 has been reimagined in collaboration with Larusmiani and finished in the bespoke Au color, named as a layered tribute to gold, the 79th element of the periodic table, Lotus' 79 Formula 1 victories, and the contemporary reinvention of the gold historically used for Lotus liveries. Au captures the essence of Milan's rich luxury and automotive culture, and together they embody a modern expression of craftsmanship and prestige.
Guglielmo Miani, President of Larusmiani & Founder of FuoriConcorso, said, "The Automotive Gallery was born from a simple conviction: that the most iconic automobiles in the world deserve to be presented in the most refined context the world has to offer. In a Milan that every April becomes the global fulcrum of design, the Automotive Gallery by Larusmiani is where automotive design meets sartorial elegance: the same obsession with detail, the same devotion to materials, the same profound respect for everything built to endure. To welcome the Lotus Theory 1 into our flagship boutique is to celebrate not an automobile, but a philosophy: that of those who are never satisfied with the form already achieved, and who see progress not as a destination, but as the permanent condition of excellence."
Ahead of IN PROGRESS, Theory 1 will be on display in the iconic Larusmiani Milan store from 2–16 April, offering visitors an early opportunity to view the concept vehicle before its appearance during Milan Design Week.
A Collaboration with Carpano
Lotus will also collaborate with Carpano, the historic company that invented vermouth in Turin in 1786 and now celebrates 240 years, a defining milestone in the story of Italian aperitivo culture. This partnership brings together two legacies shaped by precision and a shared commitment to thoughtful experimentation, where tradition continues to evolve as a living language. As part of IN PROGRESS, Carpano will present a bespoke beverage offering crafted with the same meticulous care that has defined the brand for over two centuries - a refined expression that enriches the experience with depth, character, and a timeless Italian spirit.
About Larusmiani
Larusmiani is Italy's oldest luxury menswear maison, established in Milan in 1922 and internationally recognized for its exceptional craftsmanship and commitment to the world's finest textiles. Renowned for its refined tailoring, artisanal precision, and understated elegance, the brand embodies the heritage and sophistication of Milanese style. Still family owned, Larusmiani continues to evolve through a modern interpretation of Italian excellence, expressed through its ready to wear collections, bespoke services, and lifestyle offerings from its flagship boutique in the MonteNapoleone district.
About Carpano
Carpano is one of Italy's most storied and influential spirits houses, founded in Turin in 1786 by Antonio Benedetto Carpano, the creator of the world's first vermouth. For more than two centuries, the brand has embodied a unique blend of craftsmanship, botanical mastery, and cultural heritage that helped shape Italy's aperitivo tradition. for its meticulous production methods and unmistakable aromatic profile, Carpano continues to be celebrated worldwide for its commitment to authenticity, innovation, and the enduring spirit of Italian excellence.
About Lotus
Lotus is a global performance brand built on solid foundations and a rich heritage. Since Lotus' founding in 1948, it has been pioneering true automotive innovation, introducing cutting-edge technologies and designs to realize its uncompromising vision of how a car should look, perform and feel.
About Lotus Technology Inc.
Lotus Technology Inc. has operations across the UK, the EU, and China. The Company is dedicated to delivering luxury lifestyle electric vehicles, with a focus on world-class R&D in next-generation automobility technologies such as electrification, digitalization, and more. For more information about Lotus Technology Inc., please visit www.group-lotus.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "should", "expect", "intend", "will", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "predict", "potential", "forecast", "plan", "seek", "future", "propose" or "continue", or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology although not all forward-looking statements contain such terminology. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including those identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Lotus Technology Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
Contact Information
For investor inquiries, please contact:
[email protected]
