Milan-based designer and editor Edward Buchanan is opening THESITUATION on September 25 in the heart of Milan’s NoLo district, establishing a dedicated creative hub to support, uplift, and celebrate Black talent and underrepresented communities.
Roots in the Italian Fashion Capital
For Buchanan, establishing the venue in Milan is deeply personal. The city is intimately connected to the formative years of his design career, where he first made his mark including notable creative work with Bottega Veneta.
Returning to the city that helped shape his trajectory, Buchanan is building an ecosystem designed to accelerate the careers of others.
A Stand for Ownership and Sustainable Infrastructure
Positioned as an intentional response to systemic barriers, THESITUATION is solely owned and operated by Buchanan. According to details highlighted in 10 Magazine, the project acts as a deliberate act of resistance against an industry historically built on the labor of Black creatives who have rarely held ownership over it.
The physical infrastructure matches this progressive ethos. The space is constructed from recyclable materials and powered by solar energy, marrying ecological consciousness with cultural ambition. By anchoring sustainability into its foundation, Buchanan ensures the venue reflects a long-term commitment to minority communities.
THESITUATION is designed as a living, breathing laboratory. Programming inside the NoLo district hub includes curated exhibitions, hands-on workshops, artist residencies, and educational initiatives aimed at fostering experimentation and network-building without traditional limitations.
Buchanan captured the core philosophy of the project in an Instagram announcement, writing, “THESITUATION is a testament that Black empowerment, Black independence and Black creativity can move mountains. This is a space that encourages and will fully support disadvantaged creatives.”
Rewriting the Rules of Industry Mentorship
The hub provides a platform where marginalized voices can build, collaborate, and retain ownership of their cultural output.
