The new, interiors-forward showroom features five iconic brands—see the products that caught GRAY's eye.
By Rachel Gallaher
D Studio, a new multi-brand showroom opened in Milan this week.
Coinciding with Milan Design Week 2021, D Studio—a design hub that launched its flagship location in Copenhagen in June 2021—has opened its second location in Milan. Taking over the space that used to house the B&B Italia store, in the heart of Milan’s design-focused district, D Studio brings together five iconic brands under the Design Holding umbrella for a one-stop shopping experience that offers classic designs, innovative technology, and a mix of work from international names. Brands include B&B Italia, Maxalto, Azucena, Arclinea, Flos, and Louis Poulsen.
Each D Studio space reflects the city it’s in, and the new Milan location embraces the drama and sophistication of Italian design. Local architecture firm Locatelli Partners repurposed the space (the building dates to 1954 and was originally designed by Sommariva Studio), which originally served as car showroom and was flooded with natural light via plate-glass windows and skylights. Locatelli retained these features on all three levels, and the space on the ground floor incorporates the facades of an adjoining building to reveal a surprise garden at the back.
Some exciting Design Week reveals seen at the showroom include a new Jackie-O inspired release from B&B Italia, a special-edition to celebrate a 50th anniversary at Flos, and a sneak peek at an exciting designer collaboration through Louis Poulsen.
The Moonstruck lamp, designed by Anne Boysen for Louis Poulsen.
Although the piece will be available in Denmark this fall, the Moonsetter floor lamp, a collaboration between Louis Poulsen and architect Anne Boysen, the rest of the world will have to wait until 2022 to get their hands on it. The sculptural piece is made from solid chrome-plated, mirror-polished aluminum and has a rotating disc that allows the user to customize the reflection of the glare-free light, emitted by an LED light source. “I am passing along my fascination with light and space,” Boysen says of the lamp, which was inspired by a late-night design session. “I was sitting at my desk and suddenly a ray of light came through the curtains. When I put a piece of paper in front of [the ray] it produced a diffused reflection of light, and a mirror produced a very different reflection.” The Moonsetter captures both phenomena, merging three geometric shapes, all of which are essential to the function of the lamp.
The Parentesi light in two limited-edition shades.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Flos’ bestseller Parentesi light, the company has released two limited-edition colors that celebrate the designers responsible for the fixture. Born from Achille Castiglioni’s reinterpretation of an original drawing by Pio Manzú (who died in a car accident in 1969), the Parentesi light hangs from ceiling to floor and provides 360 degrees of illumination that is customizable thanks to the ability to slide the simple bulb up and down a metal line. Industrial, innovative, and fun, the piece is now available in turquoise and a retro orange. The colors were chosen by the Flos design curators Calvi Brambilla along with Achille Castiglioni’s daughter Giovanna and Pio Manzú’s son Giacomo Manzoni. The turquoise shade was one that Castiglioni favored. “He had seen it on a box of paper clips which he kept on his desk,” his daughter recalls, “and he loved it so much that he used it to decorate all the doors of our flat in the early ’70s.” The Signal Orange shade was a color that Manzú used for all of car prototypes and remained a constant in his work over the years.
The newly introduced Allure O collection, designed by Monica Armani for B&B Italia.
From B&B Italia comes the Allure O collection, designed by Italian architect and designer Monica Armani. Evoking the sophisticated glamour of the 1960s, and particularly looking to one of the decade’s most influential style icons, first lady Jackie O, the Allure table is available with either a square or rectangular top, each of which comes in two sizes. The piece is customizable, available in either solid light and black oak, as well as a variety of glossy and matt painted finishes in 18 different shades. To complement the table, Armani also designed the Flair O armchair—its flared triangular base embraces sexy vintage vibe that’s subtle yet strong.