There are five Italian design icons, now reissued and personalized, presented in the immersive exhibition conceived by Spanish architect Guillermo Santomà at Gucci’s main store — on via Monte Napoleone, in Milan — on the occasion of the 2024 Furniture Fair. This special selection is already available for purchase online at gucci.com.
The Gucci Design Ancora project stems from an idea by Gucci’s Creative Director, Sabato De Sarno, and is co-curated by Michela Pelizzari. Storet, by Nanda Vigo for Acerbis (1994, reissue 2020), Clessidra, Portaluppi Pattern Project, by Nicolò Castellini Baldissera (great-grandson of Piero Portaluppi), based on an iconic design by Piero Portaluppi, edited by cc-tapis (2024), Parola, by Gae Aulenti and Piero Castiglioni for FontanaArte (1980), Le Mura, by Mario Bellini for Tacchini (1972, reissue 2022), and Opachi, by Tobia Scarpa for Venini (1960, reissue 2021), are the constant pieces of this unique design project.
“With Design Ancora, Gucci not only celebrates old icons, but also creates new ones,” explains Michela Pelizzari, founder of the creative agency P:S, based in Milan. “The aura emanating from the brand highlights five pieces by Italian masters that are perfect from a design perspective but less known to the general public.” The chosen objects represent the golden age of Italian design, reminding us of the important relationship between designers and brands, craftsmanship, and industrial production. All objects are reissued in Rosso Ancora, the red chosen by De Sarno to mark the beginning of Gucci’s new creative chapter.
Gucci Design Ancora can be seen at Gucci’s main store, at Via Monte Napoleone, 7, in Milan. In all rooms, the curved green walls – a color chosen by Sabato De Sarno – contribute to blur the boundaries and create a metaphysical space in which each object appears on its own, presented as an idea rather than a mere product. “If we had placed all the objects together, we would have created a living room. Instead, we decided to eliminate the boundaries imposed by how we use these pieces and create a sort of limbo,” explains Guillermo Santomà, known for his multidisciplinary approach, merging design, architecture, sculpture, and set design. It’s just form, materiality, color.”
The same visual approach is applied to the shop windows at Via Monte Napoleone, 7. In one of them, a pair of Gucci Cub3d — limited edition sneakers created from a combination of 3D printed elements and Demetra, a material from the brand itself — float in the air and rotate on their own in a magnetic installation. In another, a 3D printer is presented as a unique object customized by Santomà himself.
About Gucci
Founded in Florence, Italy, in 1921, Gucci is one of the world’s leading luxury brands. After the centenary of the house, Gucci continues to redefine luxury, celebrating creativity, Italian craftsmanship, and innovation. The brand is part of the Kering luxury group, which manages renowned houses in fashion, leather goods, jewelry, and eyewear.
About Michela Pelizzari
Michela Pelizzari was born in Milan and has been dedicated to strategic communication and business development in the disciplines of design and architecture for over 20 years. After working for a public relations agency and for the Design Faculty of the Politecnico di Milano, she founded P:S, a strategic consultancy based in Milan that conceives and develops creative communication projects centered on design. Her work stands out for an integrated approach that considers communication as an integral part of the design process.
About Guillermo Santomà
Guillermo Santomà (1984) is a designer based in Barcelona. Since graduating in design, Santomà has worked in different formats, transitioning between this discipline, architecture, sculpture, and set design. Santomà uses simple and primitive methods to alter familiar objects in a constant process of deformation, creating complete environments. His work promotes the systematic transformation of the ways of organizing, analyzing, and transmitting, with objectivity. As an architect and multifaceted designer, Santomà can be described as someone interested in how a space is affected by the production of elements vaguely resembling furniture.
