Arriving
What is all the fuss about? Hopping on a plane to spend a week in Milan to view & peruse everything design…The FUSS….The fuss was fabulous, energising and utterly good for the soul.
We hadn’t ventured back to Milan Design Week for seven years, lets just say life & little people and running a boutique design practice has just been a tad in the way. However we are back…see you next year Milan I suspect.
We landed at a very early 7am in the morning and felt the need to hit the ground walking. We walked and explored so far that our feet nearly collapsed at the end of the day. I guess the energy we had, had been bottled up for many years….we did not want to miss a moment.
Over the course of the week we explored, we ventured, we ate and we sipped. We blended our love of work and our hobbies together. We were free and the only matters we worried about were “Have we completed all that was on our itinerary, and what are we wearing to the next event?”. Safe to say we did…and MORE.
A few moments and memories are highlighted below….
Fanuli
Given we packed for the Antarctic and had every conceivable colour combination of coat between us, it felt only fitting to shop for a new outfit day one given the 29 degrees in temperature. We were meeting the Aussie contingency with the Fanuli Family – did we expect to be pouring out onto the street drinking Aperol’s with a light amount of upper sweat visible on our lips…well…..the Aperol yes?! A gorgeous evening full of excitement…a night glance at the Duomo and many a conversation about the days of itinerary’s ahead.
Ralph
The mornings were fresh so alike the Ralph Lauren store we needed a little layer of warmth. Stumbling across the Ralph store we were fascinated – how on earth did the painters paint perfectly even stripes on an old building? No…no painting, the whole building was wrapped in a stripe vinyl application. It was stunning. We didn’t mind playing models outside too for the perfect photo…only to look up and witness the REAL models were having their shoot at the same time…move over gorgeousness…Sonia & Jacinta have arrived 😉
We snuck a trip and visited The Last Supper – a piece of History and a moment to reflect on our values combined with art history. The fresco application was surreal and the detail of the disciples was astonishing. The mural was an honour to observe and to witness one of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpieces a real pleasure.
Christopher Boots
Dashing through the streets of Milan running late to the Christopher Boots cocktail party…with only 10minutes to spare…to finally arrive into a pitch black room….had they wrapped up, were we sniffing around for a prosecco and looking a little desperate?? No the irony of a blackout for a lighting installation was literally uncanny…that is where the trusty iPhone torch came in handy, our Instagram photos were a treat, we looked like we were at a nightclub in the dark streets of Brera – brilliant!
We dined at Bulgari Hotel that evening – it was a must – luxurious and peaceful. After walking 20,000plus steps that day and a failed light installation it felt only fitting to sit and shell out $60.00 for a toasted ham and cheese sandwich whilst sipping on their infamous take on the Aperol spritz…delicious, worth every slurp as we people watched the who’s who of Milan.
Verner Panton
On another day we took the wrong turn from the Metro, couldn’t find an Uber and ended up at 10 Corso Como. Dying for a shot of coffee AKA “Macchiato” and we found ourselves submerged in a fabulous display by Verner Panton. The Italians locations are the best….what appeared as maybe just a “coffee joint”…was certainly not. Watch out Austin Powers we were in – just a few flights of stairs and roll us into the Danish World of Verner Panton. I guess our love of the mushroom lamp and a 70’s film set and we were set! Purple lined carpet and curtains and psychedelic orange accents allowed us to be emersed into all things modernism and futuristic. It’s moments like these in Milan they make you smile and laugh. Whilst you might not align with the installation from a personal or design preference you appreciate being totally absorbed in the feeling of the installation.
Salone
Salone De Mobile…
Wow…
We have to be honest we experienced a love hate relationship with the Salone….
With so much energy and eagerness we were there on the dot awaiting the gates to open on the first day. Even with many cultures puffing their vapes or cigarettes on us nothing could stop us. We were on a mission to see as much as we could. Seven years ago we covered A LOT and saw A LOT so we wanted the exact same experience. Take a deep breath and the Salone is extremely different to that of seven years ago. Even though you think you have a ticket for a private entrance to most of the suppliers….there’s even another ticket required now! The lines were extreme – the crowds were extreme – the jet lag hang over was extreme. Soooo shoot the negativity out the door and the Fanuli Family held us warmly and provided our private ticket into Flexflorm, Kristalia, Fiam and Reva 1920.
To highlight Flexform was outstanding as a stand. The Perspex style curtain box they created with a balustrade to protect the furniture installations was so on point. In a compromised light convention centre they managed to make you feel like you were of the Italian Coast somewhere…The furniture pieces – refined, sophisticated, organic and the ultimate in luxury. The palette was perhaps a little neutral for W&W, however we have pivoted to acknowledge that the pieces did not require startlement colours or pattern – the design was the statement and the pieces sat comfortably, proudly for all to view.
We breezed through the kitchens and bathroom displays, not to say we weren’t inspired we felt content. There is a consistent theme still filtering through – burnished bronzes have replaced black and colours for appliances are a thing. Whether that is our thing is another story 😉
Our first day at The Salone perusing only furniture we could visualise the colour palettes coming through as a repeating episode of goodness.
We named it the “Pasta Palette”
Isn’t it tremendous that you can venture past a café and feel that the squid ink and cabbage dyed blue pasta is the colour forecast coming through for 2024. WE LOVED IT…
Grey blues, creams, skin toned peaches, soft off white buttery tones…mixed with light terracotta burgundy’s felt harmonious. I’m not sure if I mentioned forest green with a hint of grey…but yes he’s in there sitting proud, not in a pond but in a corner of the home that needs and desires love. Have we just highlighted every colour of the rainbow? Is there something in the forecast for everyone…well yes is the simple answer. If you take Flexform’s neutral approach, Boffi’s bold orange, burgundy, warm browns and creams mixed with Gallotti & Radice’s novelties in colour we have covered the kaleidoscope…
Armani & Conte Casa
Armani Casa and Conte Casa…and Armani’s Cinematic Journey merging the greats of fashion and interiors. What a day….Another day of divine sereness.
We explored the very depths of the Giorgio Armani World. A private tour of the showroom and then to the Palazzo Orsini, we experience up close and personal. A historic tour of the headquarters of his fashion house. At one point I did visualise myself in the hand made couture room…why wouldn’t we?? We were standing in the private dressing rooms where huge stars have their fittings?? Was it wrong for us to dream….just for a moment. Not at all…that’s what designers do…we dream, visualise and manifest. Our dreams are only as giving as the artisans who come forward and make them a reality.
Conte Casa a serendipity moment whereby you are lead down the incorrect street again, running late to a lunch and find yourself in the most magical apartments of all time. Is it the 18th century details of flooring and walling or cornices that do it for us? Or is it the juxtaposition of contemporary cabinetry with an abundance of materials on point or divine fabrics that make your bones weak? There was a diversity of styles and creative planes happening in the spaces but oh it felt good. More than good…I was speechless…and felt very satisfied that if this was the last place we ventured to I would be happy…as happy as my niçoise salad on the first day after eating plane food for 24 hours. Note to self…bullnose, rounded edges and soft landings…are a thing & feel like they will stay a thing. 20mm is out and 80mm is in!
Food
Favourite Food Moment…there were many!! We had given up our Sydney Day jobs left our cans of tuna and crackers in the studio and subbed them in for croissants, pastas and focaccia’s. All washed down with a glass of prosecco or limoncello spritz. However…..take a moment for us when walking into the Lambert & Fils cocktail party…The city was buzzing that night we had already been to the Dedar Party (where we witnessed the interesting Tiger Dance performance – fabric displayed on ones head to be knocked about by the trees above…funny….well to us…not to the Italians!)…Note to self Australian’s see humor in everything, keep these moments to yourselves at times.
So we have ubered across town…probably cost us $150.00 for a usually 10minute taxi ride, however we didn’t mind Lambert & Fil is a brand that I have loved for a long time. We finally arrive there, I think we were in the back streets of Enmore and well apart from being locked in the toilets there was the TOMOATOES. Who would have thought that a grape tomato sitting in a line of other grape tomatoes wedged up high on a silver prong could be tasty….TASTY….it was utterly mouth watering. Garlic infused….perfect salt application, drizzled with maybe lemon and a light splash of oil….yes HOOKED! It’s no wonder the Italians aren’t overweight…clearly a displays of portion control is a thing too.
Lake Como
Lake Como – after hustling through the streets of Milan and The Salone it was time to debrief and relax. It’s funny using the term relax – I WAS relaxed. I hadn’t completed one load of washing, made a school lunchbox, run late to a school pick up or completed a bath routine in 6 days!! “Ricardo Della Vita” Life’s memories were exploding for us. But Como takes you to a new level. The need to slow down was certainly there, but the need to explore and keep going was overpowering. We stayed in Boujee Bellagio as we named it. We shopped and we ate and we sipped coffee and more prosecco…A day trip to the Grande Hotel Tremezzo gave Basil Bangs a run for their money!! The picturesque lake adorned with orange and white stripe umbrellas felt like we were on the set of White Lotus (just minus the dark secrets and twisted story lines). Another of life’s good moments – drinking wine, getting our Slim Aarons on perched under these fabulous umbrellas. Its amazing how much joy a towel and a turban contributes to ones happiness.
Whilst there were no planned design displays in Como we were inspired. Inspired by the Spring Air, uplifted from the trip. Minimalistic moments to extravagant encounters the possibilities for expression and functionality are present in Italy.
Our goal from this trip is to continue creating unique and impactful creations, push the boundaries and push our clients to not fear going the extra mile to achieve unmissable style.
Did we get to the Discotheque? We had hopes and aspiring thoughts of getting there but dejectedly we didn’t. If this was the only piece of our puzzle that was left…well you will see us next year Milano….and our boots…and our final piece to experience.
For now our photos and memories are almost as wholesome as a great Netflix series. Rather than hopping on a plane we hop into bed at night and relive the details, the colours, the people, the installation enjoying the moments of absolute exultation. The abundance of design is genuinely a gift and we need to start passing that on.
Leave a Reply