Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1501754
Citterio. Made of polished or lacquered aluminum, with plush seats imprinted with elements of nature, the minimalist chairs were suspended in the style of a carousel, with a backdrop of video and sound installation created by Soundwalk Collective. A natural evolution of the 2022 effort that launched the Miss Dior chair, Starck and Dior elevated the chairs from functional object to objet d'art. Mission accomplished. Hermès opted for form over flash. Great for the Necchi Campiglio family in the heart of the city, with a large swimming pool and beautiful gardens. The family hired architect Tomaso Buzzi after WWII to update the estate, incorporating cues from the 18th century influenced by the style of Louis XV. Buzzi introduced the abundant use of antique furnishings, while Portaluppi gave the home a rich, elegant feel, with parchment wall coverings, celestial icons along the ceilings, and a beautiful, glazed veranda that overlooks the gardens. Returning to exhibitions, we take in both Kohler and Grohe Spa. Kohler partnered with four contemporary female artists — Ziling Wang and Pushpa Kumari, muralist Ananda Nahú, and graffiti artist Elle — for a site-specific installation in the courtyard of Palazzo del Senato. Think Waterworld meets bath works, set in a historic courtyard. Brightly painted baths rested inside the courtyard's reflective pools, while a woven aerial sculptural by New York-based artist Janet Echelman flowed softly above. Grohe used a similar setting, overhauling the historic courtyard of the Pinacoteca di Brera to showcase its works, with the newly created reflective pool beautifully capturing the bronze statue of Napoleon at its center, graced by large interior columns that seem to extend to the sky. This exhibit captured the essence of design week — the perfect integration of the new and old, an impossible feat in most contemporary settings, yet one that's commonplace during Salone del Mobile. N ot to be left out of the fun were the heritage fashion brands: Bottega Veneta, Dior, Hermès, Loewe, and Marni. Each dazzled in its own way. Bottega partnered with Gaetano Pesce for an immersive installation celebrating Pesce's first handbags for the brand. Pesce declared it a "victory for discovery," and the site- specific installation reinforces that notion. A small, cave-like labyrinth housed My Dear Mountains and My Dear Prairies, two bags designed by Pesce that were realized by leather workers and artisans from the house. A brief, but enchanting experience. Dior partnered with star designer Philippe Starck to introduce the Monsieur Dior armchair at the 18th-century Palazzo design speaks to us without the need for an installation, video, or other backdrop. Hermès went old school by simply presenting great work: a structured armchair in leather and wood, a revisited 1930s chair, a sofa with a timeless silhouette. Classic form with elegant materials marked the house's return to Milan. Loewe, too, went old school with an approach focused on artisanal craft. Entitled simply "Loewe Chairs," the house presented its works at the 15th-century Palazzo Isimbardi. Through the use of humble materials, woven fabrics, and unexpected elements for its intervention of stick chairs — which have long been considered peasant items, hence not important enough to document — the brand featured 30 works that highlight the triumph of human creativity when given humble materials and an open invitation to create. Last of the fashion houses is Marni. © SILVIA RIVOLTELLA Adrian Cruz Elements and Sandro Giulianelli Loewe Chairs Virgil Abloh Conversational Objects Dimorestudio "No Sense" Dior X Starck @AGNESE_BEDINI PIERCARLOQUECCHIA DSLSTUDIO