Miu Miu opened the latest chapter of its cultural programme today in Milan, as the first day of Miu Miu Literary Club 2026 unfolded at the historic Circolo Filologico Milanese. The event brought together leading feminist thinkers and contemporary writers to explore literature, memory and desire through the lens of Annie Ernaux’s work.
Politics of Desire in Milan
This year’s Miu Miu Literary Club runs from April 22 to 24, 2026 under the theme Politics of Desire, transforming the Circolo Filologico at Via Clerici 10 into a three day literary salon. The format takes inspiration from Europe’s tradition of salons and intellectual circles, recast here through a distinctly contemporary and female-focused point of view.
The programme is anchored by two major works: Annie Ernaux’s A Girl’s Story (2016) and Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes: A Love Story (1991), both used as starting points to discuss desire, consent and autonomy. Copies of these titles are made available to attendees throughout the three days, reinforcing the club’s aim to put books directly into readers’ hands.
Day one: Annie Ernaux’s A Girl’s Story
The first day focused on A Girl’s Story, the autobiographical work that traces Annie Ernaux’s coming of age experience and examines how memory reshapes the past. The opening conversation, titled A Girl’s Story, explored the intersections of desire, consent, and social expectations, highlighting how personal narratives can challenge collective norms around intimacy and power.
On stage, Irish author Megan Nolan, Italian feminist scholar Lea Melandri, and German writer and journalist Annabelle Hirsch shared perspectives on the text in a panel moderated by British writer and curator Lou Stoppard. The discussion examines how literature can articulate the politics of desire while reclaiming memory as a form of self ownership.
Beyond the panel: readings and live music
The evening continued with live music performances, followed by prose and poetry readings inspired by the day’s themes. This multi layered format turns the Milan venue into a space where critical conversation, performance and community building unfold side by side.
Across the three day programme, Miu Miu Literary Club also introduces, for the first time, dedicated lectures that encourage attendees to think about how literature helps deconstruct roles and identities. Building on past editions in Milan and Shanghai, the project strengthens Miu Miu’s ongoing commitment to culture, adding a literary dimension to a brand better known for its fashion shows and prêt à porter.
Fashion house as cultural patron
Launched in 2024, Miu Miu Literary Club extends the brand’s broader cultural initiatives, which include the long running Women’s Tales film series and collaborations with artists across disciplines. By centring voices like Nobel Prize winning author Annie Ernaux and Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo, Miu Miu positions the club as both a celebration of women’s writing and a platform for complex conversations around gender, sexuality and power.
For Milan Design Week 2026, the first day of the Literary Club underlines how a luxury brand can act as cultural host, using its platform to convene thinkers and readers rather than simply present a collection. Attendees are invited to return over the next two days as the focus shifts to Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes: A Love Story and to lectures, performances and book club sessions that continue to unpack the politics of desire.
