In the program of presentations and events during these days of Milano Design City, the retail sector has a sizeable (though not exclusive) space. In Milan shop windows visitors can admire the furnishing collections for 2020. And there’s more. Many brand new openings can be seen on the streets of the center – from Via Durini to Corso Monforte, to the Brera district – joining the ranks of ‘design destinations.’ This almost unexpected ferment offers proof of the industry’s ability to bounce back.
In this sparkling atmosphere, we have mapped the new showrooms to visit in Milan.
We set forth from the very central Via Durini, where Ceccotti – at number 23 – opens a new space designed by the studio Calvi Brambilla as a tribute to the company’s heritage. The new collections are enhanced (from the ground floor to the mezzanine, all the way to the office area) by a frame that in its tones and material choices emphasizes the refined woodworking of the maison.
Not so far away, in Corso Monforte, Living Divani opens the Living Divani Gallery based on a project by Piero Lissoni. The space, recalling both a museum and an art gallery, is a must see! Nearby, Elie Saab (the haute couture brand of the Lebanese fashion designer in the world of furniture, thanks to partnership with Corporate Brand Maison) opens its first space in Milan at Via Sant’Andrea 23 (designed by Carlo Colombo), where yesterday a premiere was held for the collection Zambaiti Parati for Elie Saab, a collaboration that combines the expertise of two names that stand out for excellent quality. Remaining in the Montenapoleone zone, Nemo opens the doors of Borgonuovo19, a permanent space of the brand at number 19 Via Borgonuovo: the installation is titled A Pathway of Light in Art and contains the new architectural range of Nemo Studio, the division of Gruppo Nemo for lighting in museums, galleries and private collections.
Another very central location has been chosen for the new flagship store of Iris Ceramica Group Milano; at the corner of Via Santa Margherita and the private Via Farine, the store of the holding company welcomes and presents the collections and projects of all its brands: Ariostea, FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti, Fiandre Architectural Surfaces, Iris Ceramica, Porcelaingres, SapienStone, and the new bath furnishings trademark Seventyonepercent.
At Piazza del Tricolore Design Republic, for the duration of Milano Design City, hosts a pop-up store of Very Simple Kitchen, the young company founded by Riccardo Randi to produce kitchens in stainless steel with an industrial style. Nearby, visitors can see the debut of Mariani Design and More, at Via Visconti di Modrone 8: a location where you can discover the Mariani collection and the new items by partners (such as Arflex, Asko, Bonacina, Effeti, Glas Italia, Gutmann, Ivano Redaelli, Lladró, Liebherr, Zeitraum, Wave Murano Glass). There is also a multifunctional space for sector professionals.
Leaving the Durini Design District we head for Porta Ticinese on the trail of Caesar Milano Urban Lab, a reference point in the city, inside the multifunctional structure Mo.1950.
A catalyst of design creativity, the Brera Design District plays an exceptional role thanks to many brands that have recently set up shop: Pianca& Partners, at Via Porta Tenaglia, has opened a hub for contract furnishings with a network of 26 companies; Arredo3 equips itself with its first flagship in Milan on Via Solferino, designed by Andrea Federici, a space presenting the new Tratto_10 kitchen; Menu has opened a space in collaboration with Brera Props at Via Statuto 8; Snaidero tells its story inside 200 square meters, with six streetfront windows, on Via San Marco; Solferino Lab is a project based on the shared vision of Fima Carlo Frattini, Megius and Scarabeo, conceived as a space for professionals and designers (36 Via Solferino); while Marsotto displays its experience of over 100 years in the transformation of natural stone and marble, inside the Marsotto Milano Showroom designed by the studio Nendo (Largo Treves 2); the prestigious Flair gallery, after Florence, opens in Milan with a new space, featuring the capsule collection by the architect Michele Bonan (29 September to 31 October, Via del Carmine 11).
A few steps away, Casa Mutina becomes the Milanese home of the brand, at Via Cernaia1A: Patricia Urquiola has created a true habitat setting for separate rooms (easy to modify thanks to paneling that divides the spaces, even with individual textures).
There are even more new destinations. Continuing the path towards Via Turati, we find the new showroom of Mohd, an official dealer for over 400 worldwide design brands, and reaching Piazza XXV Aprile you can experience the updated spaces of Tecno, now known as TClub: a place of work and sharing, designed to contain innovative smart systems and technologies for work.
