Fashion scenarios at Milan Design WEEK

“Do you Speak Design?” This sentence provoked us and invited us to one of the most important international events, the Italian Design Week. Showcased on panels, in the city that presented its own creations but also welcomed creations from around the world.

Milan has long been and continues to be, a stage for design, bringing together the best in the world, people, visions, concepts, and new perspectives, strengthening established designers and brands while equally promoting young creators.

It was in this exciting environment, full of events, launches, and exhibitions that I chose some Italian and international brands to show you the close dialogue between fashion and design. Creative directors and guests graced us with an appreciation of essence through new perspectives, technology, materials, numerous connections, and unique, inspiring experiences.

Let’s start the journey through these creative scenarios?

Giorgio Armani

Their first outdoor furniture collection is presented at Palazzo Orsini, the brand’s historical headquarters, which opened to the public for the first time this week. Milan is home to Armani, and its unique style takes center stage, whether it’s through colors, materials, or lines The pieces displayed in this spectacular garden, placed among the 17th-century porticoed courtyard, were enchanting and invited contemplation. The Terence Sofa, the Timothy sun lounger, and the tables composed the environment. Inside the palace, the exhibited pieces were framed by the Appiani frescoes, where new furniture sets were displayed alongside precious accessories.  Sophistication, lightness, excellence in craftsmanship, and enchantment.

“My work, in fashion as in design, is a constant search for balance that arises from the choice of material and the skill of the hands that work it” declares Giorgio Armani

Bottega Veneta
Synonymous with Italian luxury, the essence of Bottega Veneta is directly connected to the patterns of woven braided leather. Logo and aesthetic icon, its patterns gain a new creative perspective with Matthieu Blazy and his special guest, the renowned designer Gaetano Pesce. A partnership that began with the previous collection’s ‘Come Stai?’ chairs has now found a new space and new creations.  ‘Viene a Vedere’ was the invitation and the installation at the brand’s store on Via Montenapoleone. A resin cave was created for diving into Gaetano Pesce’s history and experiencing first-hand, introducing two limited edition bags:  My Dear Mountains and My Dear Prairies. From the furniture in their stores to the bags and shoes, the braided leather continues to embody both tradition and innovation, redefining and enchanting.

Etro Created
Founded in the 1960s, Etro strengthens and innovates based on the DNA created by Gerolamo Etro, a passionate traveler and lover of world cultures.  The brand’s early creations in 1968 were already focused on fabric decoration before expanding into clothing collections.  Under its current creative director, Marco de Vicenzo, Etro constantly revisits the house’s references. During this design week, the brand presented its textile creations in spaces adorned with artwork by American artist Amy Lincoln, featuring the installation ‘Woven Spectrum.’ Nature, narratives, and dreamy landscapes take us on a journey. The warmth of chromatism, comfort, and the welcoming ambiance in spaces that are naturally laid-back and elegant.

Versace
Donatella Versace, in collaboration with architects Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, unveiled her home line, showcasing the brand’s distinctive elements and codes. The furniture features expansive forms, textures, and decorative objects, all adorned with the iconic Medusa head, a symbol of the Maison. The home collection exudes luxury and intensity, with a color palette ranging from gold, black, and off-white, to specific touches of blue.  On the table, butterfly-themed porcelain and other decorative elements reflect the essence of Versace’s style, alongside pink tulips. An invitation to appreciate every detail.

Roberto Cavalli
Luxurious settings, dramatic style, lots of glamor, and, sensuality are some of the concepts from the essence of Roberto Cavalli’s brand. An original and eccentric style, which is now presented through the perspective of Fausto Puglisi, the brand’s creative director.  Amid 18th-century prints, animal print, shimmer, and vibrant colors in a blend characteristic of the Maison, the furniture in their store serves as an extension of their summer collection. A journey through time and art, in the always provocative creations of the house with gold underlining and intensifying the essence of style.

Dolce&Gabbana
Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana’s exquisitely baroque and deeply emotive unveiling for their home line collection is an exuberant tribute to the elements that define their brand’s identity, building upon the foundations of previous releases. A magnificent spectacle of golden splendor is set against a backdrop of vibrant hues, embodying the unique decorative creations of the Maison. Exuberance and origins are celebrated.

Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton expands its dialogue with design, showcasing the 2023 edition of its Nomadic Objects in the historic Palazzo Serbelloni. The collection, featuring furniture, light fixtures, and creative objects, is crafted by artists hand-picked by the Maison, including Atelier Oï, Raw Edges, Atelier Biagetti, Marcel Wanders, Zanellato/Bortotto, Louis Vuitton Studio, and Campana Studio.  An exquisite design amidst a fascinating and wonderful environment of art and history.

Diesel
Diesel Living with Moroso. All the essence of the Italian brand Diesel, ironic and irreverent, known for its creations in denim, interpreted by Moroso with the iconic Diesel Red. Among the items is the High Cloud sofa, sophisticated and comfortable with clean lines, making a striking impression in the red-drenched setting. Scandinavian design with a touch of Diesel irony.

Loewe
The Spanish brand, steeped in a tradition of craftsmanship and leather, continues to innovate under its creative director, the Englishman J.W. Anderson. In this edition, they unveiled the “Loewe Chairs” installation at Palazzo Isimbardi.  The chair serves as the starting point, and its creative transformation is a dialogue between craftsmen from around the world, the environment, the object, and human inventiveness. The use of diverse weaving techniques and materials, coupled with a creative outlook, amplifies the originality and creative experience, extending to the brand’s spheres and other creations signed with its name. A universe of collaboration, sensory experience, and many discoveries.

Loro Piana
The Italian brand, renowned for the excellence and sophistication of its cashmere wool, invited Argentinian artist and designer Cristián Mohaded to present colorful and irregularly formed structures/monuments using fabrics from the archives.  Titled ‘Pachamama’, these structures pay tribute to the tradition of travelers stacking stones into monuments over long distances as an ode to Mother Earth. 

“A unique, dreamy landscape that defies the imagination of each one of those traveling souls, who travel and meet those monumental contractions in the form of towers, alive with color and memory of a living land,” says Cristián Mohaded.

Emphasizing the preciousness of raw materials, a collection of furniture, bags, and monuments were distributed at different locations in Milan, in addition to the store.

Missoni
The Italian brand, created in the 1960s by the couple Otavio and Rosita Missoni, is recognized and renowned for its DNA— the movement of colors promoted by interlacing threads in knitting, creating a rhythm of zigzags and a multicolored universe. And it was so, this edition presented the brand’s creations and spaces as colorful and fun. The home line has been a long-standing part of the brand and each collection always has its unique charm. The ‘Ciambellone’ and ‘Panettone’ poufs were the main attraction in the ‘Living inside out’.

“The idea is to work with simple shapes and remember a young, happy life,” says Alberto Caliri, director of Missoni Home. A playful moment, for sure!

Dior
In his second year with Maison Dior, Philippe Starck paid tribute to Monsieur Dior using the famous ‘Medallion’ chair. Palazzo Citterio was the setting for this significant exhibition, a creative and sensory experience. A circular sculptural installation conceived in collaboration with the Soundwalk Collective, where chairs danced, captivating and enticing the onlooker to dream.

Hermès
Amid blankets, rugs, furniture, and objects displayed in a minimalist space, the luxury of handmade takes center stage. Unobvious equestrian motifs inspired by the house archives, gain new interpretations. Sophisticated chromaticism with an emphasis on the Cordélie Arçon rugs, manually woven with cord stitching on linen. The excellence of natural materials, craftsmanship, and creation.

Tod’s
“Tim Walker – The Art of Craftsmanship”
Tod’s invited English photographer Tim Walker to celebrate craftsmanship, the art of the handmade.  Key element and essence of the brand. A fantastic exhibition through the lenses and provocative gaze of this artist. Humor and irony take the stage, in oversized images.  A playful way to enchant and provoke the eye, noticing looks that are not always given due attention. A project aimed at valuing and showcasing the beauty, strength, value, and importance of the craftsman.