April 19, 2018 |
Each year, the worlds of fashion and furniture reunite like distant relations for their annual Milan rendezvous. The Salone del Mobile fair is an international celebration of all things chic and beautiful, where aesthetic is the common denominator and the language of design eclipses any other. Personally speaking, I haven’t moved much beyond this one Swedish designer, don’t know if you’ve heard of them, they tend to specialise in furniture of the flat-pack variety, have a boutique store in Tottenham…? But for those of you who aren’t into the whole self-assembly thing and are better financially endowed than us, we have put together a selection of the most exciting cross pollination between fashion and design going down at this year’s fair
Roberto Cavalli Tropical Glam
What better way to spruce up your bedroom/flat/life than a dose of unadulterated Tropical Glam? The interiors capsule really sells itself – an exotic assortment of patterns and prints infused with elements of the natural world. A lamp embellished with Monstera leaves? All the allure of indoor planting without the fuss of watering the damn thing. Tying it all together are a collection of ten crystal vases designed by Paul Surridge himself – not strictly the magical variety but buy all ten and you never know.
Loewe Artisans
This year, JW has traversed the globe to unearth some of the world’s most prodigious textile talent. I mean, someone’s got to do it. The resultant project took over a year to develop, culminating in an anthology of the finest globally sourced fabric, from Indian ribbon hand-embroidery to Senegalese patchwork and Ecuadorian cloth made from the neck and back hair of a Llama (each to their own), the collection includes everything from tapestries to totes. This one’s not to be missed.
Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades
Exhibiting for the first time under the banner of Vuitton’s Objets Nomades, Hong Kong based design wiz André Fu is trying to get us talking to each other again. Can you believe that? His two-person ribbon chair takes inspo from the elegance and fluidity of traditional Asian ribbon dances, creating a chair that not only evokes the idea of infinity but forces both sitters to face one another and engage in conversation. He’s obviously never met anyone from Ten Towers but we appreciate the idea.
Fendicucine
Fendi have teamed up with kitchen gurus Scic for a him and hers kitchen collection, meaning you can Fendify your house one room at a time starting with the most important one for any Italian. Both kitchens have been designed by architect Marco Costanzi and are gender tailored. Do they come with furry trimmings? We couldn’t possibly say.
Armani/Casa
Having only just unveiled their extraordinary new London Casa boutique, Armani have arrived at Salone del Mobile with plenty to show off. They’re exploring colour and lightness this year, fusing American walnut with plexiglass for an assortment of furniture that not only looks brilliant but is semi-transparent too. There’s heaps of stuff at the Armani stall this year so we suggest you head there first.
Hèrmes Blankets
When it comes to soft furnishings, look no further than Hermès. They’re a dab hand with any blanket/rag scenario, having collaborated with South Korean artist Seulgi Lee for Art Basel Miami last year. For Salone del Mobile, they have given life to the work of famed Mexican painter Castro Leñero, whose limited edition ‘Cheval Debout’ embroidered blanket will look just as good on your wall as it will on your bed.
Marni La Vereda
Ever been to Colombia? Well now’s your chance to bring home your own little slice courtesy of Marni, who have reinterpreted traditional Colombian craft techniques for this year’s fair. Vibrantly coloured chairs and tables, made using wires woven together by communities from different areas of Colombia are the sort of one-off pieces that Salone del Mobile is all about. Purchase in large quantities.
Ermenegildo Zegna Toyz
Not exactly your typical plastic flotsam, these kind of toyz are a whole new take on the word. You know this because it’s spelt with a z, meaning they’re Zegna certified. From headphones to turntables, footballs and wallets, I can’t help but be reminded of those prize bundles from Saturday morning kids TV. Think of this as the boujee adult version, impeccably crafted and clad in vintage herringbone.
Globe-Trotter x Paul Smith
Biggest doesn’t always mean best. When it comes to diamonds and bonuses we’re all for size, but Salone del Mobile is just as much about celebrating a new approach to the everyday as it is about large and imposing pieces of furniture. Take this limited edition trolley case for example, a Globe-Trotter staple Paul Smith-ified with a splosh of colour. Who says function doesn’t follow form?
Brioni x Hisao Hanafusa
If origami were done with wood, the result would look a lot like the work of Hisao Hanafusa, the visionary Japanese craftsman who has worked with Brioni on two handcrafted pieces for the fair. Hanafusa doesn’t have any time for screws, nails, glue or any suchlike, instead relying on his seamless joinery skills to create works that practically slot together of their own accord.
Diesel Living
For when it all gets too much at the fair, when you reach that point where you can no longer distinguish between table and chair, head over to Diesel’s domestic blueprint for a slice of the Diesel life. This pop-up apartment is an immersive look at a world made entirely of Diesel – look out for the newly expanded Nizza collection, though it might not be their original purpose, the stools are ideal for scranning in front of the telly.
COS x Phillip Smith III
COS have teamed up with installation artist Phillip K Smith III to create a giant curved mirror in one of Milan’s 16th century Palazzo’s. Open Sky represents a continuation of Smith’s typical oeuvre (the man loves a circular mirror scenario), while transforming the sky into a tactile ring, pulling it down to the ground and, according to la release, “angularly reconfiguring the surrounding architecture”. We’re in need of some angular reconfiguration ourselves so this is our first port of call.
Images, from top:
COS x Phillip Smith III
Loewe Artisans
Fendicucine
Marni La Vereda
Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades
Diesel Living
Zegna Toyz
Brioni x Hanafusa
