Highlights From Fashion, Beauty Brands  – ryan

MILAN — It’s the jolliest — and buzziest — week of the year. As Milan turns into the epicenter of all-things design, fashion and beauty brands are leveraging the moment to get their slice of visibility via collaborations, special projects, product launches and activations.

Here’s a roundup of what brands are up to this week:

Hermès

Hermès is again showcasing its latest home decor collection with an installation at Milan’s La Pelota venue, an interplay of light and shape with suspended structures encasing the new objects and projecting a radiant glow on the floor. Conceived by the French luxury house’s artistic director of the maison collections Charlotte Macaux Perelman, together with Alexis Fabry, the installation spotlights additions to Hermès’ ever-expanding home pieces, including tall glasses with rich-hued color blocks by the brand’s design studio and a cashmere plaid with geometric patterns designed by Sudanese but Paris-based artist Amer Musa, known for his abstract oil pastels and markers paintings embedding simple geometric shapes.

Jil Sander x Thonet

Jil Sander might have left her fashion days behind, but this week she’s marking her first foray into the world of furniture design via a tie-up with storied German manufacturer Thonet GmbH. 

With the JS.Thonet collection, she has taken on famous tubular designs from the late ‘20s and put her own stamp on them. In her two lines, dubbed “Serious” and “Nordic,” Sander reinterpreted Marcel Breuer’s iconic S 64 cantilever chair, adding an extra touch of elegance with high-gloss lacquered wood details, refined tubular steel frames and seats and backrests made of Viennese canework or leather in a nuanced color palette. The collection also includes a matching side table, the B 97 design from 1933. 

“I wasn’t interested in completely redesigning these classics. It was more about taking them to the next level,” said Sander. “My goal was to take the S 64 as Breuer meant it to be and bring it into the here and now. The chair’s design and fundamental structure have stood the test of time and deserve contemporary recognition,” she added, revealing that for her interpretation she drew inspiration from different places, from the finish of a Steinway grand piano to the leather upholstery of an English car.

Ferrari

In tandem with Milan Design Week, Ferrari is releasing the latest in its Collectible collection of memorabilia and scale models, focusing on the race cars’ key components, which it bills not just as echos of the automotive brand’s legacy but also design objects in their own right.

“While conceiving the new Collectibles series, we wanted to consider our background as designers at the Ferrari Design Center, not only in the field of design but also in architecture,” said Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s chief design officer. “We drew on all the experience of minimalism and the research aimed at dematerializing as much as possible every element that is not strictly necessary. The use of transparent materials and the employment of structural elements… gives an effect of suspension and lightness to the object, allowing it to be contemplated in the essence of its form, encouraging interaction with the user and the surrounding environment,” he said.

The series includes the “Tipo 048B Formula One” engine with which Ferrari scored its ninth Constructors’ World Championship in 1999; the camshaft from the single-seater Formula One Ferrari F2003-GA car that won the team seven race times and two World Championship titles, among other achievements, as well as a conrod and piston from a 2011 Ferrari F150° Italia driven by Fernando Alonso, among others.

Jimmy Choo

Halfway between art and design, luxury footwear brand Jimmy Choo is teaming with Harry Nuriev, the founder and creative director of architecture and design firm Crosby Studio, to reinvent its Milan flagship’s ground floor. A striking glass structure is to take center place in the boutique, serving as a display for a range of archival shoe designs — and some 3D printed replicas — as a reflection on the evolution of creativity over time.

“The concept plays with the idea of timelessness … a study that underscores the art form of our creations over the years to be spotlighted,” said Sandra Choi, creative director of Jimmy Choo. Nuriev said that the installation “takes a commercial store and turns it into a temporary exhibition, a space that would exist for just one week but leave a lasting impression.”

Christofle x Charlotte Chesnais

Charlotte Chesnais’ golden touch can turn even cutlery into a work of art. The jewelry designer has been tapped by Christofle to develop “Carrousel,” a new flatware collection and case that was two years in the making.

In sync with Chesnais’ sinuous and sculptural creations, the curvy designs feature an open, teardrop shape on the base. The line includes 24 pieces including forks, knife and spoons in two sizes, available in silver-plated metal, as well as in a bicolor version partially gilded with 18-karat gold upon special request.

Also coming with a bicolor finishing and a walnut wood panel inside, the case could easily double as a decorative object itself.

“The aesthetic of Carrousel is coherent with everything I have created since launching my label in 2015,” said Chesnais. “It has been a longtime dream to create a cutlery collection, to learn a savoir-faire that was similar but different from my own. The distinctive shape of the case and the way it holds the set represent my approach to merging sculptural ideas with purposeful and personal objects. Like jewelry, these are pieces that can accompany you through life — while also being present through countless moments that people share together.”

MCM x Pet Therapy

Cuteness alert: MCM and Pet Therapy — the design brand Atelier Biagetti’s Alberto Biagetti and Laura Baldassari co-created with their 11-year-old daughter Altea — will debut a new collaboration of sculptural, pet-friendly poufs shaped like cats and dogs. Crafted in MCM Visetos and durable outdoor fabric, the fun pieces intended for both humans and their furry companions will be celebrated with an immersive installation at Giardino delle Arti.

The Atelier Biagetti duo said they aimed for designs that are not about sophistication but simplicity and recognition in a quest to express and reconnect with the sense of wonder that children hold. Hence, the line of puffy indoor-outdoor poufs crafted from upcycled MCM materials and oversized cat sculptures from Pet Therapy’s collection serving as decorative objects.

Open to the public throughout the week, the installation will come with palm tree lights, vibrant textures and three wooden houses where different experiences will be offered to visitors every day, ranging from pet Pilates to dog training. Guests will also have the chance to smell MCM’s newly launched pet-inspired fragrance collection, developed with Interparfums Inc. 

Each coming in a glass bottle topped by a different animal, the six scents created by Dsm-Firmenich perfumers address different characters, from the strong Mighty Bear and its woody juice to the citrusy Jolly Rabbit and Zen Elephant’s chypre and leathery notes.

Valextra

Valextra has conscripted Venice-based multidisciplinary studio Zaven for the second iteration of its “Valextra Vocabolario” project aimed at shining a design-driven light on its codes and heritage. Zaven’s Enrica Cavarzan and Marco Zavagno developed the Costa 70 + Zaven suitcase, which, despite its name, contains abstract objects to be assembled, like Lego bricks, into a decorative sculpture. The versatility of the elements allows different owners to shape the final objects in a number of ways. A life-size reproduction of the sculpture is to take over Valextra’s Via Manzoni flagship during Milan Design Week.

“Responsive and thought-provoking design has been at the core of Valextra’s DNA since 1937 and Zaven mirrors our own passion in realizing objects of pleasure and excellence in a restrained way with this exceptional reinvention of an archival icon. A dynamic, artistic piece that blends sculpture with architectural design and movement,” said the brand’s chief executive officer Xavier Rougeaux.

Marking the project, Valextra is debuting numbered and limited-edition iterations of its Iside and Milano bags, with a palladium handle featuring green and pink molded resin inserts and a special closure crafted from the same material, respectively.

10 Corso Como

A pioneer retailer in combining fashion, design and art, 10 Corso Como is unveiling a full schedule of events and activations for Salone del Mobile. On the retail front, in addition to the ongoing Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster’s pop-up, the Italian retailer is welcoming Yohji Yamamoto for a residency, taking over the store’s street-facing pop-up space through April 22 to unveil a selection of his women’s, men’s and Discord spring 2025 collection.

Meanwhile, a trifecta of jewelry brands are shedding light on their creative process, from niche Italian label Aliita mounting the conceptual exhibition “From Dream to Reality” which unpacks the creative process behind the creation of any object, from the idea development to sketching and manufacturing, to Amsterdam-based fellow jeweler Bibi Van Der Velden debuting an installation to spotlight her latest artworks-turned-jewels and the Japanese brand Shihara by designer Yuta Ishihara, which is installing a pop-up inside 10 Corso Como and debuting a collaboration with designer Michael Anastassiades.

On the art and design front, four exhibitions are spotlighting the works of several designers, including the Belgium-based Arno Declercq, Italy’s collective Imperfettolab, and London-based studio Layer, helmed by Benjamin Hubert. The latter showcase, called 101010, is a display of new pieces developed for MDF Italia, Andreu World, Ræburn, Muuto, Orrefors, Kvadrat and Bitossi. On the mezzanine, Japanese artist Mika Ninagawa will showcase the results of a partnership with fashion brand Anteprima to reinterpret the latter’s signature Wirebag in six embroidered variants.

Vhernier

Known for its bold sculptural designs, Italian jeweler Vhernier will unveil its new collection called “Mon Jeu Maxi (My Maxi Game)” with an installation at the brand’s boutique in Via Montenapoleone, 21. The installation will feature five works of the Milanese artist Mauro Mori: two marble sculptures, a screen and two wood panels, and it is curated by Galerie Negropontes, led by Sophia Negropontes. The new collection features earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces made in ebony, rose gold and diamond pavé modules. 

Il Bisonte

Florentine leather-goods brand Il Bisonte is having its third gig in home decor hinged on the use of its signature vegetable-tanned leather. The lineup includes a cubic pouf, Casentino wool blanket with leather trims and matching set of cushions, as well as a wabi sabi-inspired reversible placemat made of raffia and striped cotton canvas.

Teasing an upcoming home-leaning collaboration, the brand is celebrating the launch with an in-store cocktail cohosted by Fernando Aciar, the New York-based designer and chef behind the Fefostudio multidisciplinary firm. Aciar will design an edit of home objects for the brand to be unveiled during New York Design Week in May. “Il Bisonte’s philosophy aligns perfectly with my approach as both a craftsman and designer. In my studio, preserving and honoring traditional craftsmanship and its most authentic techniques… is essential,” Aciar said.

Hosoo x Dimorestudio

Hosoo, the Kyoto-based historic maker of kimono textiles, has further strengthened its ties with Italian design. After the collaboration with Michele De Lucchi and his multidisciplinary studio AMDL Circle last year, the Japanese silk specialist has joined forces with famed studio Dimorestudio for its new “Hemispheres” collection.

This includes 33 textiles inspired by more than 20,000 traditional obi patterns passed down through generations by the Hosoo family, founders and current custodians of the company’s heritage. Originally preserved as uncolored sketches and untouched for centuries, these patterns depicting flowers, bamboo or abstract motifs were reimagined by Dimorestudio in delicate hues, ranging from muted gray shades and sepia tones to smoky blues and desaturated greens.

The collection will be showcased in the refined Milanese house of artisan and artist Osanna Visconti, flanking her new collection of furniture crafted in natural bronze and inspired by the life cycle of the magnolia flower. Pieces like the Crinkle stool and Magnolia sofa will be upholstered with Hemispheres fabrics and add to items such as the Bambù cabinet and the Campanula lamp. 

Culti Milano x Elie Saab

It’s no secret that Elie Saab is betting big on its design and hospitality extensions. In addition to presenting its new collection of 10 furniture pieces, this week the brand will unveil a 4,843-square-foot showroom dedicated to the home category as well as debut “Golden,” it first home fragrance. Developed in collaboration with Culti Milano, the diffuser and matching perfumed candle come in geometric green glass cases and are scented with a citrusy blend of orange, tangerine and ginger with cedarwood, in a nod to the roots of the Lebanese designer. 

Acqua di Parma

To mark the launch of its new fragrance “Buongiorno,” Acqua di Parma collaborated with Sicilian artisan Antonio Fratantoni. His mood-boosting ceramic sculptures in the shape of the sun nod to the name of the scent and sense of positivity and lightheartedness it intends to evoke.

They will be exhibited at the brand’s store nestled in the Golden Triangle as part of the “Sunrise in the Orchard” installation. Upon registration online, visitors can also have a guided experience and olfactory tour of the brand’s offering and Fratantoni’s work.

Byredo & Bethan Laura Wood

Byredo is bringing a touch of color and exuberance to the city with a little help of internationally acclaimed English artist and designer Bethan Laura Wood. The creative’s bold and vibrant work will cast a new light on familiar urban spots, as the parties will take over a newsstand and cargo bike in the arty Brera district, in addition to Byredo’s flagship in Milan.

Aesop

Aesop returns as official partner of Milan Design Week, staging an installation inside the sacristy of the Chiesa del Carmine church located in the arty Brera district and a few steps from one of its four stores in the city, specifically the first it opened in 2015. 

Dubbed “The Second Skin,” the installation will be an ode to skin and feature the brand’s Eleos Aromatique hand balm as an integral part of the structure. As part of the experience, visitors will discover a short video centered on a dance performance choreographed by Nayoung Kim, a key member of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch since 1996 who has performed in 24 of Bausch’s groundbreaking works.

Marimekko

Marimekko is presenting a playful bedroom-themed installation and capsule collection in collaboration with New York-based artist and creative Laila Gohar. The installation will center around a grand-sized bed showcased in the foyer of Teatro Litta and bedroom-themed items featuring Marimekko’s archival stripes by artist Maija Isola. 

For the occasion, Gohar visited Marimekko’s pattern archive in Helsinki, showcasing more than 3,500 prints. The capsule features crisp cotton pajama sets, sleeping masks and bedding, as well as ceramics and more, all in vivid tones of sky blues, citrus yellows, rich plum and berry reds.

“The starting point for the collection was Laila’s quote — if it’s ironed, you can wear it out — which led us to design pajama sets that can be worn in and out of the bedroom, complemented by an entire collection of bedroom-themed items in archival Marimekko stripes,” said the brand’s creative director Rebekka Bay.

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac & Maison Pierre Frey

Maison Pierre Frey is partnering with designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for the “Game of love” installation at Salone del Mobile. The new Pierre Frey furniture collections designed by Axel de Beaufort, Elisabetta Freda, Gregory Beson and Oleg Pugachev are showcased on a stage that recalls a medieval festival with a monumental marquee amid banners and grand crests. Outside the installation, collages and cut-outs feature the anagram LOVE/VOLE along with objects and animals drawn in the style of a contemporary toile de Jouy.

“This tent is like a chapter in a new story: my encounter, filled with meaning and a passion for beauty, with Maison Pierre Frey, which has always embodied for me the excellence of French craftsmanship,” said the designer.

Taller Marmo & Natalia Criado

Taller Marmo’s founders Riccardo Audisio and Yago Goicoechea never shy away from a little celebration. Their brand has earned a loyal following with its high-octane occasion wear and fringe and feathers galore, so it was only natural that their project for Salone del Mobile was imbued with the same festive energy. The duo joined forces with designer Natalia Criado on a cocktail set of two margarita glasses and an ice bucket inspired by their party dresses. The pieces come with fancy fringing, adding dynamism to Criado’s designs, which are known minimal lines and her signature use of lapis lazuli beads. 

Maccapani

Margherita Maccapani Missoni is expanding the reach of its Maccapani brand. For the first time, she ventures into the world of furniture with a project that reflects her curatorial vision and love for antiques. During Milan Design Week, she will unveil “MaccaFinds: Airbrushed,” a range of vintage furniture reimagined through the art of airbrushing. Showcased at the historic Milan antique shop Maddalena Tabasso Antichità, each piece was reinterpreted by a local artist known for customizing motorcycles and helmets.

The collection features 12 pieces sourced from antique markets and personal spaces belonging to the designer. Items include a dresser, a glass cabinet, three coffee tables, three stools, and two metal lamps — each turned into a one-of-a-kind creation.

Scarosso x Toilet Paper

If you’re looking for comfy shoes to wear from one event to another, look no further: building on its strong streak of collaborations, Italian footwear company Scarosso has teamed with Toilet Paper, the cult art magazine and creative studio founded by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari.

Launching online on Monday and to be celebrated with an event at Toilet Paper’s headquarters in Milan on Thursday, the unisex line reinterprets the classic penny loafer with a playful touch thanks to the surreal and Pop motifs affiliated to Toilet Paper. These include golden trumpets and multicolored snakes as an allover motif on shiny black leather loafers, as well as a red-lipped mouth and an eye wrapped in rose petals adorning bi-colored versions. 

A contrasting lining, an electric blue shoe box and pink dustbag printed with Toilet Paper’s imagery of fingers and lipsticks add to the bold capsule collection, which retails between $505 and $555.

Boyy x Mary Lennox 

Hip accessories label Boyy has joined forces with Berlin-based botanical design studio Mary Lennox to launch a bag dedicated to carrying flower bouquets. Named “The Gazette,” the style is made of newspaper-printed calfskin adorned with photographic images produced by the two parties — and a group of bugs which unknowingly go about their business within the print. The limited-edition design will launch this week exclusively at Boyy’s flagship in central Milan with an in-store activation and installation by Studio Mary Lennox.

Caruso and Vitale Barberis Canonico for Nous

Aiming to safeguard the Made in Italy know-how and shape the next generation of craftspeople, luxury menswear brand Caruso and textile specialist Vitale Barberis Canonico are supporting Nous, a mentorship program led by architect and designer Guido Pagani dedicated to young design talents. Four architects will be guided through the creation of design objects linked to sartorial elegance. Marking the occasion, Caruso has tailored the uniform of the four mentored talents, a Saharan jacket crafted from Vitale Barberis Canonico’s Super 120’s wool.

Genny

Fans of the romantic ethos imbued in Genny’s fashion creations could soon decorate their home accordingly. The brand’s creative director Sara Cavazza Facchini has teamed with Illulian, the Milan-based, family-run luxury rug company which makes its products in the Himalayas, for a rug bearing a floral pattern dubbed “the orchids’ garden.” The Nepal-made baby pink circular rug featuring a giant orchid flower at the center will be available at Genny boutiques and on a made-to-order basis.

North Sails

North Sails is partnering with artist Marco Oggian for an exclusive capsule collection dubbed “Born to sail, forced to dock.” The collection comprises menswear, including the brand’s signature sailor jacket, a T-shirt and a baseball cap. To mark the collaboration, a large-scale installation recalling a paper boat will be staged in Milan’s City Life neighborhood. Stretching eight meters in height and 10 meters in length, it will be entirely made of recycled nylon, the material from which the spinnaker, large and triangular sails are made.

Laneus

Knitwear specialist Laneus is venturing into home decor, tapping into youngsters’ appetite for word art. The result of a partnership with French artist Thomas Lélu, known for his handwritten aphorisms, the three-piece capsule collection comprises a pouf, cushion and blanket crafted from neutral-hued jacquards and bearing catchphrases including “my favorite place is inside your knit,” a pun on Laneus’ hero item. Unveiled at the company showroom in Milan with a live artistic performance by Lélu, the collaboration includes a limited edition of three silk-screen prints of his word art on canvas.

Moorer

True to its ethos as a “designwear brand,” furnishing company Ditre Italia has enlisted outerwear specialist Moorer to debut reinterpretations of its signature Melville sofa designed by Patrick Norguet. Crafted from Sea Island cotton in four tropical shades, including turqouise and deep blue, the sofa features the signature mother-of-pearl oversized button on the side and cushions. The collaboration marks Ditre Italia’s latest linkup with fashion brands. Last year it teamed with silk specialist Mantero 1902 for a range of pillows.

Marc-Antoine Barrois x Antoine Bouillot

Parisian couturier Marc-Antoine Barrois will debut his newest fragrance Aldebaran with a large-scale installation conceived in collaboration with French multidisciplinary artist, designer and architect Antoine Bouillot. 

Dubbed “Mission Aldebaran,” the immersive installation will be staged at Milan’s Salone dei Tessuti venue from Tuesday to Sunday. Visitors will be invited to enter a mirrored cube to find themselves within a dense forest of ropes shrouded in darkness and silence. Compelled to navigate through the obscurity, they will emerge into a bright clearing at the heart of the exhibition, as Barrois and Bouillot aimed to offer an interpretation of optimism and hope amid challenging times.

The installation will feature Aldebaran-infused paper-crafted tuberose flowers — in a nod to the fragrance’s main note — as well as Barrois and Bouillot’s first furniture collaboration, which marks the former’s debut in design. The limited-edition collection will feature wooden stools and benches crowned with sculptural stones inspired by pebbles, which will be available to purchase at the Marc-Antoine Barrois stores in Paris and London and through the StudioTwentySeven galleries in New York and Miami.

Rubinacci & 11 Ravens

Storied Neapolitan tailoring house Rubinacci is joining the Salone del Mobile craze, launching a limited-edition collection with 11 Ravens. Just don’t think of sofas and beds, but more of a convertible pool table and cue rack as key pieces to add to homes, according to creative director Luca Rubinacci. He said he wanted to create “an object of desire,” drawing from his personal experiences to craft “an elegant product of infinite quality.”

The collection offers a sophisticated take on game tables, weaving together fabrics from Loro Piana’s finest materials into 11 Ravens’ designs. For one, the pool table — which turns into a dining one — features a navy cloth and hand-inlaid brass windrose rail sights, inspired by Rubinacci’s cashmere blazer lined with an antique map of the sea, while the cue rack incorporates herringbone beige wool, evoking the classic raglan coat. Different sizes, woods and finishes are available to tailor the pieces to customers’ demands.

Vowels

Japanese brand Vowels and its creative director Yuki Yagi are making their debut at Milan Design Week in collaboration with Los Angeles-based studio Waka Waka, helmed by Shin Okuda. “Furniture felt like a natural extension of Vowels because, just as our pieces are designed to fit seamlessly into any wardrobe, Shin’s designs effortlessly complement any living space. Similar to fashion, there’s no room for compromise in creating furniture,” said Yuki.

Okuda designed a custom chair and a stool for the fashion brand. Both crafted from birch plywood, they echo each other in the use of cylinder dowels connecting the legs of the chair and the two side panels in the stool. The exhibition of the pieces is to be held at Spazio Maiocchi as part of the collective Capsule Plaza display.

Sara Ricciardi Studio x Borbonese

Heritage Italian brand Borbonese in collaboration with Sara Ricciardi Studio is hosting in its headquarters the “Together we are gold” installation with a botanical-inspired concept evoking the harvest season. The installation unfolds around the Golden Harvest vase, presented in a limited and numbered edition of 21 pieces, crafted from natural terracotta in collaboration with Manifattura Rometti and with intricate woven cotton details from Antica Passamanerie Massia 1843.

The vase originates from the symbol of the “all round” bag, interconnected circles representing unity and presenting leather circles held together by knotted ropes. During the presentation at the third floor of the building, an ancient bread banquet will be set up in collaboration with nutritionist and chef Ester Azzola.

Alessandro Enriquez

Bubbly designer Alessandro Enriquez is paying homage to the Milan places that have marked his life and career trajectory with a multipronged project that encompasses mobility, design, fashion and hospitality. Partnering with D-House Laboratorio Urbano, which is part of manufacturing group Pattern, as well as fashion print specialist Kornit Digital, Enriquez has created a range of new prints — from hearts and strawberries, to vintage cycling-inspired motifs and stars — splashed on a lineup of bicycles developed with Milan-based category specialist Silvestrini, as well as on apparel and home decor items.

Marking the unveiling of the three product categories part of the project, the Sicilian, but Milan-based designer is taking over the storied Cucchi pastry shop, Neapolitan eatery CreDa, cocktail bar Eppol, Radisson Collection Hotel Palazzo Touring Club, as well as his own design studio. “This project is not about fashion, but about ways of living… I wanted to talk about my city, Milan, as I see it through my point of view: colorful and brimming with love,” Enriquez said.

Fidenza Village

Fidenza Village will launch the “Oasis of Happiness” project by artistic duo Pangea’s Colombine Jubert and Laëtitia Rouget. The installation will be showcased as part of the “Interni cre-action” exhibition at the Università degli Studi di Milano Statale and will recall its main theme of action and reaction with a moving structure, activated by the air. It will include eight symbolic doors, inspired by the arches of the 16th-century gallery of the university, that allow visitors to go from one space to another and from one state of mind to another. After Milan Design Week, from April 25, the installation will be moved to Fidenza Village, where it will be presented with interactive elements.