Welcome to Fashion Week, Bazaar‘s at-a-glance overview of what the industry is talking about.
This week we focus on Salone del Mobile Milano (AKA Milan Design Week), which takes place from April 16 to April 21.
Bottega cannot be pigeonholed
At the Bottega Veneta Winter ’24 show, creative director Matthieu Blazy explained the catwalk set design in his show notes, saying: “I visited southern Italy and thought about Calabria and the cactus. It’s an idea of resilience: the cactus grows where nothing else can grow. I would like the floor to be seen as this landscape; the show may have a sense of introspection, but one with resilience and a sense of hope.
In his attempt to reflect resilience, Blazy filled the venue with Le Corbusier’s LC14 Cabanon stools, a legendary piece of furniture that first came into existence when Le Corbusier found a whiskey box and decided to repurpose it.
Now, months after visitors sat on special editions of these stools – a collaboration between Bottega Veneta and Cassina (the seller of the tabourets) – some of the pieces became a hot commodity when they were showcased during Milan Design Week, where they were also for sale.
Moncler goes mobile
For the Salone del Mobile Milano, the Italian fashion house transformed the Milano Centrale train station into one of the world’s largest public galleries, where they staged an immersive exhibition titled ‘An Invitation To Dream’.
“Dreams are what has kept me and Moncler moving forward since day one, because we never stop dreaming about what is possible, and how we can inspire and be inspired by others around the world,” said CEO and Chairman Remo Ruffini. “Always focused on
not only do something new, but also better.”
Curated by Jefferson Hack and filmed and photographed by Jack Davison, the exhibition united creative forces like Daniel Arsham, Laila Gohar, Jeremy O. Harris, Francesca Hayward, Rina Sawayama and more for an event that took over one of the busiest places in the world. city.
As part of the exhibition, the station’s entire screen was rewired to create a ‘dreamscape’, and visitors could also enjoy hand-printed lithographic prints by Davison on display.
Loewe lights up Milan
Not only is Loewe known for its artsy fashion, but it is slowly creeping into the design space, offering everything from dazzling cushions to deliciously crafted candles that will brighten up any space. It was no surprise when the Spanish fashion house debuted an awe-inspiring collection during Milan Design Week, exploring a new facet of the world of home design: lamps.
The brand commissioned 24 different artists to design lamps for the presentation, including makers such as Anne Low, Kazunori Hamana and Alvaro Barrington. The collection ranged from glowing, minimalist walnut boxes to hanging leather and paper designs.
“Light is the central medium in all the works on display and its properties have been embraced and manipulated by each of the 24 commissioned artists, guided by their own individual practice,” said a press release.
Gucci honors design icons
At Gucci’s flagship store on Via Monte Napoleone, creative director Sabato De Sarno decided to honor ‘five icons of Italian design’ with a special exhibition for Milan Design Week, called ‘Gucci Design Ancora’.
Michela Pelizzari, co-founder of creative agency P:S (which co-curated the project), said: “With Design Ancora, Gucci not only celebrates old icons, but also creates new ones. The image emanating from the brand highlights five pieces by Italian masters that are perfect from a design point of view, but less known to the general public.”
The common thread that connected all these redesigns was the color: Rosso Ancora. De Sarno had all the pieces made in this shade to mark Gucci’s next chapter as a brand, adding a rich, cohesive element to the entire exhibition.
Alaïa wants to open the ‘dialogue’
At Maison Alaïa, creative director Pieter Mulier introduces a new series of cultural projects, which he calls ‘Dialogues’.
“I always wanted Alaïa to represent more than just clothes,” says Mulier. ‘And so Azzedine looked at Alaïa. He was such a visionary that from the very beginning he envisioned Alaïa as a whole. As a space where fashion opens up to art and beauty. And this vision persists today. Because I believe that fashion only makes sense if it matches the times. With the world.”
Dialogue 1 took place in Crazy Horse Paris, a cabaret where Azzedine Alaïa made stage costumes for dancers in the late 1970s. On the venue’s stage, Sam Rock photographed eleven dancers wearing a rainbow of the iconic Alaïa dress with matching Dachshund bags to complete the look. With this photography project, Mulier wanted to celebrate the fusion of fashion and dance, in this space that has significance for the history of the brand.
JW Anderson finds meaning in materials
As part of a new collection entitled ‘DAYS’, JW Anderson used his eponymous brand to explore ‘how to give meaning to materials.’ With this presentation, Anderson wanted to “thematize the labor of art and study” and explore what it means when we learn from those who created art before us.
For the exhibition, Anderson collaborated with artist Patrick Carroll, who specializes in stretched textiles and waste yarns used from residual stores that liquidate the remains of the industry. Carroll’s works were framed and hung throughout the space, with words like “shame,” “defeat” and “minimalism” on display, inviting viewers to dig into their feelings and process what art brings to life.
Louis Vuitton transforms a mansion
In a seven-story mansion on Park Avenue, the Louis Vuitton team has transformed the space into an “immersive savoir-faire experience,” where visitors can book a private appointment and celebrate the brand’s most extraordinary offerings.
Through May 5, the exhibition, titled “Crafting Dreams,” explores the best the brand has to offer, and marks the most comprehensive display of savoir-faire ever presented by Louis Vuitton in New York City.
There will be everything from suitcases to fine jewelry to watches, and visitors will also have the opportunity to create personalized pieces with local artisans. Meanwhile, guests will also be treated to the debut of several brand new pieces, including creative director Pharrell Williams’ Millionaires Speedy 40 for men.
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