Italian design continues to rank first in Europe for both revenue and workforce share. Italy accounts for 19.8% of the design sector’s total European turnover (€6.3 billion) and employs the same share of professionals in the field, outpacing Germany (18.9% of revenue and 15.1% of employment) and France (12.8% and 15.6%, respectively).

However, growth is starting to slow. Between recent years and 2023, Italy's design industry grew by 4.6% in revenue and 5.2% in employment—slightly below the EU average (5.5% and 5.4%). Meanwhile, France and Germany are gaining ground more rapidly, with France posting a 24.2% employment increase and Germany a 15.4% boost in revenue.