Latest news with #Cassina
Vogue
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
How Louise Trotter Is Bringing Her Rebellious Joy To Bottega Veneta
The location of my first meeting with Louise Trotter, the new creative director of Bottega Veneta, is confirmed just an hour before we're due to meet. It feels fitting: Bottega Veneta has long been known for a kind of elegant restraint, and until very recently Trotter has been deliberately private about her debut collection, keeping even her process closely guarded. The address finally arrives: Villa Clerici, an aristocratic mansion nestled in the Niguarda district of Milan, north of the city. Once you're past the imposing gate, a hidden world unfolds—first an enormous Italian garden dotted with statues, then another large garden at the rear containing two amphitheaters. Villa Clerici's interior rooms feature 18th-century frescoes, trompe l'oeil decorations, and coffered ceilings. It all feels opulent yet somehow restrained—sacred and slightly surreal at the same time. I walk up the stairs in the quiet afternoon and find Trotter at the end of a long corridor, enfolded in a Raphael Raffel leather lounge sofa from the 1970s with custom Bottega Veneta leather, produced by Cassina. A wide window behind her overlooks the arched courtyard. 'I realized we couldn't not do the interview here,' Trotter says with a smile. She has a kind of whimsical mystery to her, mixed with an innate curiosity and intelligence. 'In Paris, everything is grand and declared—in Milan, you have to find your own treasures.' That notion seems to dovetail perfectly with the ethos of Bottega, which has always defied the noise of fashion. Founded in Vicenza as Bottega Veneta Artigiana in 1966 by Renzo Zengiaro and Michele Taddei, it has long built its identity on the idea that true luxury whispers. 'My initial connection to the house was as a customer—I was collecting vintage Bottega Veneta,' says Trotter, who was struck by what seemed to be a radical ethos: 'They were able to create a clear identity without any need for a logo, and I think that takes a certain confidence. You're not making a statement to be seen—you're showing who you are.' The Latin phrase nomen omen—the name is a sign—rings true with her: She is, quite literally, a globe-trotter. Before Bottega, she brought a refined tailoring and minimalist aesthetic to England, America, and France, working variously at Gap, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and the London brands Jigsaw and Joseph. In 2018 she became the first woman to lead Lacoste, and in 2023 she took over Carven. Throughout her career, she's been less a disrupter than a very creative and vibrant custodian—someone who honors legacy through quiet reinvention. This patient philosophy feels especially resonant in the fast-shifting fashion scenario of our current moment, when disruption has become the norm. Unfortunately, though, it's still rather rare to see a woman leading a house of Bottega Veneta's scale and stature. 'Of course I would like to see more female representation—not just in design, but from a business side too,' Trotter says, adding: 'I want to believe that I've succeeded because of my work and because of who I am, and not just because I'm a woman.' To start her creative process for Bottega, Trotter has been spending time in Montebello Vicentino, where the house's archives and artisans are based. 'What's fascinating is seeing how pieces from decades ago still feel relevant—I look at something 50 years old, and I still completely desire it. But we are still very much in a getting-to-know-each-other phase,' she says with a chuckle. What she will share of her process involves a balance between learning from established systems and adding her own touch—'observing and stepping in,' as she puts it. She builds from the past, but is never beholden to it. 'You have to know where a house comes from in order to move forward,' she says.
Hypebeast
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Hypebeast
AFTERWORK INDUSTRIES Debuts the AW-03-0001-NA Incense Holder Designed by Or
Summary AFTERWORK INDUSTRIEShas just launched its first product — a striking incense holder titled AW-03-0001-NA made in close collaboration withCALIPER. Designed by Or, a multidisciplinary designer known for his creative direction across major brands such asOff-White™,Mercedes-Benz, Cassina,Evianand more, the piece is rooted in a rich design pedigree. Or has worked closely with the lateVirgil Ablohand the Alaska-Alaska team, contributing to some of the most influential design collaborations of the past decade. The holder is crafted with both style and purpose in mind, featuring a slip-cast porcelain body glazed for a smooth, luxurious finish. Drawing inspiration from industrial ceramic insulators, it's made from a refined blend of porcelain, aluminum, quartz sand and caliper. With its textured surface and sculptural silhouette, the piece offers a modern reinterpretation of a traditional home object, seamlessly merging form and function. Whether used as a decorative piece or to hold incense, AW-03-0001-NA adds a sense of permanence, utility and contemporary design to any space. The piece is available exclusively on theAFTERWORK INDUSTRIES website.
ME Construction
06-05-2025
- Business
- ME Construction
Mr. Eight Development unveils second UAE project on Dubai Islands Villa del GAVI
Property Mr. Eight Development unveils second UAE project on Dubai Islands Villa del GAVI By To maintain its standards, Mr. Eight Development has also established a dedicated service management company, overseeing every aspect of the resident experience Developer Mr. Eight Development has announced the launch of its second residential project in the UAE – Villa del GAVI, located on Dubai Islands. Building on the success of its debut project, Villa del DIVOS, Villa del GAVI continues the brand's mission to redefine beachfront living through design and curated luxury. Villa del GAVI offers 87 residences, ranging from two- to four-bedroom apartments, including three bedroom and maid configurations. Every home of the 12-floor residential tower is designed to capture the Arabian Gulf through floor to ceiling windows, open concept living areas and private balconies with water views. Residences are outfitted with Italian Silver Travertine Stone Romano, Calacatta Viola marble, Fabel Casa kitchens and wardrobes from Italy, SMEG appliances and bathroom fixtures by British designer Tom Dixon. Residents will enjoy two infinity edge swimming pools, a Technogym fitness center, a private residents' clubhouse and a lobby showcasing furniture by Cassina, Minotti and lighting by Tom Dixon, FLOS and ZONDA. Signature accents include Lalique crystal installations and LASVIT glass artworks. 'Following the overwhelming success of Villa del DIVOS, we are delighted to introduce Villa del GAVI to the Dubai Islands. This new project is the natural next step in our commitment to crafting exceptional living spaces in Dubai's most sought-after locations. Villa del GAVI offers a unique opportunity to experience luxurious beachfront living with unparalleled amenities and we have already had considerable interest in the project with 38% of our units already reserved prior to the official launch. Notably, Villa del GAVI will stand out by offering exclusively two-bedroom residences and above. There will be no one-bedroom units in this development, as we are focused on creating more spacious, livable homes,' said Emils Daujats, Director at Development. The development is also located just 20 minutes from Downtown Dubai, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Dubai Mall, access to the city's business and entertainment hubs. The surrounding neighborhood includes private beaches, two championship golf courses, shopping mall and access to healthcare. Residents of Mr. Eight's Dubai Island developments will be granted membership to an exclusive Priority Club, which includes access to chauffeur driven Rolls-Royce cars, a Riva motorboat with captain, private golf carts and a menu of à la carte services, from in-residence spa treatments and personal training to housekeeping, childcare and 24-hour emergency maintenance. To maintain its standards, Mr. Eight Development has also established a dedicated service management company, overseeing every aspect of the resident experience. The project handover is scheduled for Q4 2027.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Formafantasma and Cassina Challenged Popular Thought at Theatrical Design Week Performance
MILAN — It has been almost a century since Le Corbusier, together with Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, presented their revolutionary modern vision of living at the 1929 Salon d'Automne. Are we living any better? This was one of the key takeaways from a performance Monday created by designers Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi of Formafantasma set in Milan's Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber. More from WWD Tod's Diego Della Valle Unveils 'Italian Hands' Book Celebrating Artisanal Excellence, Opines on Tariffs How Ranieri Turned Lava Into Furniture and Decor Swarovski Collaborates With Rosenthal for Milan Design Week Animals were personified in 'Staging Modernity,' where performers chanted, 'We are the animals, be modern again with us,' in lament to the machine à habiter, French for 'machine for living,' that the famed trio had long ago presented at the annual art event, which is held in Paris to this day. 'In light of the ecological crisis, can we be human without others?' Farresin asked the crowd at the start of the performance, which was spearheaded by Italian theater and opera director and set designer Fabio Cherstich. Considered a disruptor at first, over time their machine of living became recognized as a functional shield from the outdoors and inspired the design world in the decades that would follow. In 2025, the reverse is true. Humans' struggle to reconnect with the outdoors can no longer be ignored. 'He [Le Corbusier] was seeing the home as a shield from the outdoors, which was somehow threatening for humans. We think because of the ecological crisis, it is interesting to start to see the houses open toward the outside. It's all changed. And it is a way of confronting modernity with a new perspective on the world that surrounds us, where we see the outside, the animals as not only resources to extract, but actually creatures to live the planet with,' Farresin said in an interview. Inside the theater, the duo took the floorpan of the Salon d'Automne and reinterpreted it with wild boars, foxes and birds adorning the stage after having infiltrated a modern home strewn with furniture from Cassina's Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand Collection, in celebration of the 60 years of its production by the Italian brand. Animal voices were projected in the form of prose and song via human performers dressed in Jil Sander, analyzing the way in which humans live and how their urban migration has affected their own universe. When Cassina started manufacturing and distributing this collection in 1965, it was an incredibly forward-thinking decision, Cassina chief executive officer Luca Fuso explained. 'This collection represents modernity and we want to give a different interpretation of modernity today. So this is why we entrusted Formafantasma for the curation and Fabio Cherstich for the direction of 'Staging Modernity,' to question what modernity really means today. At Cassina we've always tried to diffuse design culture with a constructive approach,' he told WWD. The idea to showcase in a theater was 'revolutionary' for Cassina but through the combination of natural elements, juxtaposed with the products, 'it made it all come alive.' Spanish designer and architect Patricia Urquiola, who is art director of Cassina, told the crowd that in light of global turmoil, the time has come to start asking questions and enacting change. It's also OK to ask questions regarding our past to find out where the world is headed, she contended. 'The motion we have in this moment is something difficult to explain but it's something we can share. Why they [Formafantasma] accepted to work with us, I think they have the talent, they have a critical attitude and critical way of thinking and at the same time, they have an understanding, sensible proximity. They are very important. The possibilities of Salone del Mobile are very strong. We are all on stage. I hope we all find a way to move the limits of our system and approach other disciplines,' she said. Formafantasma's Milan and Rotterdam, Netherlands-based design studio has become involved even more in Milan Design Week, which closes here Sunday. They have become known on the global design stage through their work with design and fashion brands like Flos, Bitossi and fashion and jewelry brands like Max Mara and Bulgari. In March 2023, the same year Rubelli tapped Formafantasma as its creative director, the duo conceived the sophomore edition of Prada Frames, a symposium backed by the Italian luxury brand to explore the complex relationship between the natural environment and design. This week they also unveiled 'In Transit,' the three-day event — also backed by Prada — at Milan's Central Train Station inside the so-called 'Padiglione Reale,' or Royal Pavilion in English, a hall once reserved for Italian royalty and heads of state waiting to depart. With Cassina and even Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, they found common ground, Trimarchi said. 'When you look at those objects from these three incredible creators, who were also exploring the medical field and work environment, they responded to the moment through their furniture, according to contemporary times. I would say we are aiming to do the same,' he said. To perpetuate its legacy, Cassina continues to work closely with designers' foundations and their heirs to help in the discovery of the lives of key figures. Induction into its realm of design masters is an honor bestowed upon bygone greats and 20th-century masters like Perriand, Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and Ico Parisi, who have all had their work become part of Cassina's iMaestri universe, which was first presented to the public in 1973 with icons by Gerrit T. Rietveld and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Since then the upscale furniture company has used the project to fuel research behind some of the most significant pieces of furniture by leading figures of the Modern Movement. Launch Gallery: A Look at Cassina x Formafantasma's 'Staging Modernity' Installation
