A tribute to Italian design in an immersive and metaphysical setting: this is Design Ancora, the project that Gucci, in collaboration with Michela Pellizzari, founder of the Milanese creative agency P:S, has staged at the flagship store in Via Monte Napoleone 7. From an idea by the brand’s creative director Sabato De Sarno, Gucci Design Ancora hosts five products that have marked the history of Italian design: Storet by Nanda Vigo for Acerbis (1994, re-edition 2020); Clessidra Rug, Portaluppi Pattern Project by Nicolò Castellini Baldissera (grandnephew of Piero Portaluppi) from an iconic design by Piero Portaluppi, curated by cc-tapis (2024); Parola by Gae Aulenti and Piero Castiglioni for FontanaArte (1980); Le Mura by Mario Bellini for Tacchini (1972, re-edition 2022); Opachi by Tobia Scarpa for Venini (1960, re-edition 2021)
“Through Design Ancora, Gucci does not simply celebrate old icons, but creates new ones,” explains Michela Pelizzari. “The aura that emanates from the brand’s spotlight shines on five pieces by Italian masters that are perfect from a design point of view but less known to the general public.” All the works are re-edited in Rosso Ancora, the shade of red chosen by De Sarno to mark the beginning of Gucci’s new creative chapter, and each floats in an environment distinct from the curved green walls – a color chosen by Sabato De Sarno – which contribute to blurring the boundaries and creating a metaphysical space in which each object appears on its own, presented as an idea rather than a mere product.
“If we had put the objects together we would have created a living room. Instead, we decided to remove the boundaries given by the way we use these objects and create a kind of limbo,” explains Spanish architect Guillermo Santomà, known for a multidisciplinary approach that blends design, architecture, sculpture, and scenography, who created the setting for the event. “The floating objects have no meaning or function. They are just form, materiality, color.” From April 21, 2024, a special edition of the objects will be available online at gucci.com
