Hermès ‘The Topography of Material’
There is always so much anticipation around Hermès’ Milan presentations, and the brand always manages to deliver. This year’s ‘The Topography of Material’ was a sublime and reflective celebration of materials and the French luxury brand’s roots.
From the first impression of entering the dark space to the eyes discovering the meticulously arranged materials on the ground – brick, stone, slate, wood, and compacted earth – everything was a real feast for the eyes. Yet, none of it was obvious or showy. Instead it felt deeply connected and reflective, and the closer you looked, the more you could see.
Behind the vast black backdrop wall, Hermès presented its new collections in tandem with pieces from its heritage. The exquisite curation and pairing demonstrated that Hermès’ objects are unaffected by time and passing trends. This was possibly my favourite presentation by Hermès in Milan to date.
© Maxime Verret
© Maxime Verret
© Maxime Verret
© Maxime Verret
© Maxime Verret
© Maxime Verret
© Maxime Verret
© Maxime Verret
Gucci Design Ancora
Under the leadership of the new creative director, Sabato De Sarno, Gucci Design Ancora presented five design icons at its flagship store on Via Montenapoleone. The re-edited and customised pieces were showcased in a chartreuse colour-blocked installation conceived by Spanish architect Guillermo Santomà.
The chosen objects, including the 2020 re-edition of the Storet cabinet by Nanda Vigo for Acerbis, represent the golden age of Italian design while reminding us of the critical relationship between designers and brands, craftsmanship and industrial production. All objects were re-edited in Rosso Ancora, the red hue chosen by De Sarno to mark the beginning of Gucci’s new creative chapter.
Delfino Sisto Legnani, DSL Studio
Delfino Sisto Legnani, DSL Studio
Delfino Sisto Legnani, DSL Studio
Loewe Lamps
Inside the vast space of Palazzo Citterio, with lights anchoring floors or displayed on tables and hung from the ceiling, Loewe unveiled new commissions from 24 internationally renowned artists, including previous finalists and winners of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. Combining artists who have worked with illumination, and those experimenting with it for the first time, Loewe Lamps showcased distinct perspectives, materials, and craft practices highlighting unexpected interactions with light.
My favourite was the Sleepwalker, a table lamp by Italian designer Enrico David made of patinated, cold-cast bronze and sliced Turkish onyx. Gasp.
Courtesy of Loewe.
Courtesy of Loewe.
Courtesy of Loewe.
Courtesy of Loewe.
Courtesy of Loewe.
Courtesy of Loewe.
Saint Laurent Rive Droite
Saint Laurent Rive Droite presented an exclusive collaboration with the Gio Ponti Archives and the Fundación Anala y Armando Planchart. The exhibition, curated
by Anthony Vaccarello, showcased a collection of 12 original plates designed by Gio Ponti in 1957.
The story goes back to 1953 in Venezuela, where Anala and Armando Planchart commissioned Gio Ponti to build them an avant-garde villa on the highest hill overlooking Caracas. Framing their modern aspirations, Ponti designed a house ‘as light and graceful as a butterfly posed on a hill’. In finalising the interior decoration of the Villa, Ponti employed exceptional Italian artisans, including the Florentine manufacturer Ginori 1735, for which he had previously worked as artistic director. He designed a set of porcelain tableware decorated with the symbols
and motifs of the villa, illustrating his talent and eye for detail: the Sun, the Crescent Moon, the Polar Star and magnificent iterations of the letter ‘A’ – an homage to Anala and Armando, painted by hand in Ginori 1735’s Italian Manifattura.
Courtesy of Saint Laurent
Courtesy of Saint Laurent
Bottega Venetta ‘On The Rocks’
Bottega Veneta partnered with Cassina and Fondation Le Corbusier for a large-scale installation at Palazzo San Fedele titled 'On the Rocks'.
Continuing the story from the brand's winter 2024 show, the installation centres on the LC14 Tabouret Cabanon, a timeless icon by Le Corbusier and Cassina’s carpentry workshop.
Originally designed for Le Corbusier's own minimalist cabin, the Cabanon de Cap-Martin on the Côte d'Azur, the Tabouret was inspired by a wooden whiskey box that Le Corbusier found washed up on the beach. Custom wooden editions were joined by a new limited edition made in Bottega Veneta’s signature leatherwork.
Courtesy of Bottega Veneta
Courtesy of Bottega Veneta
Marimekko ‘Bar Unikko’
Marimekko and Apartamento magazine co-created a joyful celebration at Bar Unikko to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Finnish lifestyle brand’s most iconic print, Unikko.
This conceptual takeover of a Milanese café, Bar Unikko, continues a series of Unikko-inspired events taking place around the world during 2024.
While Marimekko is globally renowned for its art of printmaking and timeless and functional designs, founder Armi Ratia once famously stated that Marimekko could have equally taken the form of an ice cream parlour, a flower shop, or even modern jazz, as long as it would bring joy to people’s everyday lives. Bar Unikko's weeklong pop-up brought this philosophy to fruition.
© Sean Davidson
© Sean Davidson