Sandra‘s Closet

For Milan Design Week 2024, Fornasetti unveils its surreal interpretation of one of the most welcoming spaces in the home: the dining room.

In this setting where nothing is ever as it seems, décor and objects merge in an effortless matching game between content and container, between furniture and the room that hosts it.

The Atelier’s collection of furniture and home accessories is enriched with new elements: storage furniture and polyhedral bar cabinets, tables boasting new shapes and materials, and chairs that seamlessly combine the charm of mid-century design with the comfort of upholstery. Incongruous and extravagant combinations give rise to new patterns and intricate images created with meticulous care and skill, simulating a hint of reality that is in fact pure design.

In Ceci n’est pas une salle à manger, the fusion of seemingly incompatible elements transforms the dining room into a theatre of surrealism, creating a world free of any conscious association, preconception, or specific intention. Fornasetti furniture and accessories introduce a unique perspective, where the boundaries of reality and fiction intertwine, creating an experience in which the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

ON THE EDGES OF REALITY
The new curved bar cabinet engages in a visual dialogue with the dining room, elegantly anticipating the decorated world hidden within. Inspired by Piero Fornasetti’s iconic interior design projects for the Pasticceria Dulciora and Casa Lucano in the 1950s, the buffet and curved bar cabinet transform the dining room into a fascinating setting with a surrealist twist.

TABLE ENTERTAINMENT
Fornasetti’s new dining tables are a tribute to the design and aesthetics of the 1950s. An array of scattered objects floating on the surface, and swirls of vivid colours are an irresistible invitation for the curious eye to get closer and discover hidden details.

An invitation to sit at Fornasetti’s surreal table. The iconic chair is enriched with high-quality jacquard fabric designed with bottles, cocktails and scattered objects that bring a touch of imagination and energy to the room.

A REDISCOVERED REPERTOIRE
The Atelier reissues its oval tray, an original model from the 1950s: an extraordinary, rediscovered repertoire, rich in expressive variations that accommodate the symbols of Fornasetti’s prolific hand and mind.

I am a huge Fornasetti fan and personally speaking love this new collection for the dining room.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Fornasetti
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As part of Milan Design Week, Off-White™ is releasing a limited-edition rug, which also takes center stage at the brand’s Via Verri flagship with an immersive floor-to-ceiling installation and a takeover of its windows.

Spanning 170×240 centimeters, the rug is available in only 40 pieces and is coming with a numbered label.  The design is marked by a floral pattern in a deep blue shade and bold lettering in popping yellow reading «Don’t walk here.» Crafted in Germany with a double-layer felt lining, the rug is to retail at €1,250 euros exclusively at Off-White™ Milano Verri store, beginning April 15, 2024. The brand will also host live DJ sets in-store on April 17 and 18, extending opening hours to 9pm in honor of the occasion.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: PR © Off-White™
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Louis Vuitton is revealing the expansion of its Tableware collection – now available in a new beige colourway – celebrating the Monogram flower’s artistic spirit with a contemporary touch that subtly intertwines classic and modern style.

Epitomising purity and timeless elegance, the Monogram Flower tableware set, made with Limoges porcelain, is available in an essential palette of blue and beige. Its motifs highlight the defining Monogram flowers’ graphic design with subtle watercolour effects on a stark white base. The collection boasts a variety of formats ranging from elegant plates to wide bowls and teapots, giving every mealtime a dreamlike ambience.

The tableware collection is accompanied by Twist Glasses and Flower Carafes, all available in Cristal Clear, Sapphire, Amber, Emerald, or Venetian Ruby, in a reflection of the Maison’s spirit. Twist Glasses and Flower Carafes are crafted in Murano glass and hand-blown in Simone Cenedese’s atelier, demonstrating their exceptional artisanry and imbuing each piece with unique character.

The new Louis Vuitton Tableware collection is available on louisvuitton.com and in a selection of Louis Vuitton stores. I am totally in love!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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As part of Milan Design Week, Louis Vuitton unveils a unique reinterpretation of its iconic Bed-Trunk at its Garage Traversi store in Milan. This exceptional piece draws inspiration from the very first Bed-Trunk, designed in 1865 by Louis Vuitton himself and now updated to blend tradition with modernity.

Created for the design connoisseur and the elegant traveller, this new variation celebrates the Maison’s heritage – innovating while respecting traditions and savoir-faire since 1854. The exterior of the trunk is covered in Louis Vuitton’s classic Monogram Canvas, while its interior displays the bed’s sophisticated structure – an innovative combination of aluminium and beechwood that allows the Bed-Trunk to quickly and easily transform into a stable bedframe.

The mattress is split into four sections specially crafted to support and accommodate its owner in total comfort. A memory-foam mattress topper covers every section, which rest on the same woven cotton straps that have been used to keep clients’ belongings safe during travel since the very earliest Louis Vuitton trunks. The mattress is covered in waterproofed cotton precisely embroidered with the classic Monogram pattern. For even more comfort, the head of the bed – with an included pillow – can be raised to the perfect angle and a small beechwood side table attached to the edge of the trunk.

In the mid-1880s, Louis Vuitton came up with a new Bed-Trunk specially designed for explorers from around the world – an invention patented by his son Georges in 1885. The Bed-Trunk was then showcased in several universal and international exhibitions, spurring its immense success among travellers, explorers and other nomads – just as the Camp Bed-Trunk became indispensable for officers in training or on active duty.

The Louis Vuitton Bed-Trunk will be available for pre-order from 16 April.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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DESIGN ANCORA GUCCI PRESENTS FIVE DESIGN ICONS AT ITS FLAGSHIP STORE ON VIA MONTE NAPOLEONE

From an idea of Creative Director Sabato De Sarno, GUCCI Design Ancora is a special project co-curated by Michela Pelizzari. From April 15 th 2024, five icons of Italian design, reedited and customized, are showcased in an immersive exhibition conceived by Spanish architect Guillermo Santomà at Gucci’s flagship store in via Monte Napoleone, 7.

From April 21st 2024, a special edition of the objects will be available online on gucci.com.

• Storet by Nanda Vigo for Acerbis (1994, reedition 2020)

• Clessidra rug, Portaluppi Pattern Project by Nicolò Castellini Baldissera (great grandson of Piero Portaluppi) from an iconic design of 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, reedition 2022)

• Opachi by Tobia Scarpa for Venini (1960, reedition 2021)

«Through Design Ancora, Gucci doesn’t simply celebrate old icons, it creates new ones,» explains Michela Pelizzari, founder of Milan based creative agency P:S, which co-curated the project, «The aura emanating from the brand spotlights five pieces by Italian masters that are perfect from a design standpoint but less known to the general public.»

The chosen objects represent the golden age of Italian design, while also reminding us of the important relationship between designers and brands, craftsmanship and industrial production. All objects are re-edited in Rosso Ancora, the red hue chosen by De Sarno to mark the beginning of Gucci’s new creative chapter.

Gucci Design Ancora comes to life at the Gucci flagship store in Via Monte Napoleone, 7.
In every room, the curved walls in green a color chosen by Sabato De Sarno contribute to blurring boundaries and creating a metaphysical space in which each object appears on its own, displayed as an idea rather than as a mere product.

«If we had put the objects all together, we would have created a living room. Instead, we decided to remove the boundaries given by how we use these objects and create a sort of limbo,» explains Guillermo Santomà, who is known for a multidisciplinary approach merging design, architecture, sculpture and scenography, «Floating objects don’t have meaning or a function. They are just shape, materiality, color.»

The same visual approach is applied to the windows on Via Monte Napoleone, 7. In one of them, a pair of Gucci Cub3d a limited edition sneaker created combining 3D printed elements and the House’s own Demetra material float in the middle of the air and rotate on their own in a magnetic installation. In another one, a 3D printer is displayed as a unique object customized by Santomà himself.

Definitely worth seeing when you are in Milan!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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Drawing inspiration from her signature archival prints, Mary Katrantzou has created a series of mesmerizing rugs in collaboration with The Rug Company. Discover the full collection offering a distinctive fusion of bold patterns and timeless sophistication to enhance any interior space. I am literally obsessed and Sunray Pink is my favorite.

LoL, Sandra

Sunray Pink

Sunray Nude

Framis

Feather Marble Maroon

Feather Marble Midnight

Botanical Paradise

Bluebell Daydream

Photos: © Mary Katrantzou / The Rug Company
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Barbie’s Malibu Dream Home is real and you can rent it on Airbnb! Located by El Pescador State Beach in Western Malibu, a beach community known for wealthy residents and high-end homes, and with less than a month go until the release on July 21 of Greta Gerwig’s BARBIE movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the team at Airbnb has taken over a Malibu mansion and revamped it as the Barbie Dreamhouse of your, well, dreams, or let’s say Ken’s dreams.

The story line is that while Barbie is away, she has handed over the keys to her Malibu Dream House this summer and Ken’s room could be yours for the night. To bring some much-needed Kenergy to the newly renovated and iconic Malibu DreamHouse, the place is decked out with some of Ken’s cowboy stuff as well, icluding horses,  guitars, games and more. And of course, rollerblades, because Ken literally goes nowhere without them.

Now, you can live it up Ken-style for a neon night in picture-plastic-perfect Barbie Land in this sunny surfer’s sanctuary. Placed perfectly above the beach with panoramic views, this life-size toy pink mansion is a dream come true! Welcome to the Kendom!

Booking opens at Airbnb at 10 a.m. PT on Monday, July 17 for two, one-night stays for up to two guests on July 21 and July 22, 2023.

– During your stay, you will have the opportunity to live in technicolor.
– Taking a spin through Ken’s awesome wardrobe to find your best beach fit. Look out Barbie, Ken has got quite the closet too!
– Channeling your inner cowboy and learning a line dance or two on Ken’s outdoor disco dance floor or performing a sunset serenade on his guitar.
– Challenging your fellow guests to a «beach off» with plenty of sunbathing and chillaxing by the infinity pool.
– Taking home a piece of Kendom with your very own set of yellow-and-pink Impala skates and surfboard.

Once you arrive and check-in, a concierge will ensure a comfortable stay for you and your guest — including showing you around and setting out and arranging meals. These one-night stays are not a contest. Guests are responsible for their own travel to and from Malibu. This home is privately owned and operated.

In celebration of BARBIE hitting theaters on July 21, and to honor girls’ empowerment, Airbnb will make a one-time donation to Save the Children. Save the Children provides learning resources and support to children, families, and communities in 100+ countries to build girls’ confidence and help them excel in school – ensuring everyone has equal opportunity to achieve success.

However, a little side note, Ken’s six-pack is not included, you will have to bring it yourself! Or you just hit Ken’s gym!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Airbnb
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This week, THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU in the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau officially opened its doors, an opulent five-star hotel designed by the fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, combining immaculate interiors with unrivaled hospitality.

Created with a bold vision for iconic accommodations and aesthetics, and as the world’s first and only hotel entirely designed by and named after the late fashion legend, the designer’s imaginative, inimitable style and ethos are infused into its very DNA, from its architectural elements to the specially commissioned furniture and art.

Each of the hotel’s 271 rooms and suites, as well as its Spa, Gym and pools feature Karl Lagerfeld’s bold, inspired blend of rock-chic aesthetics and elegant Chinoiserie elements. The signature restaurant, Mesa by José Avillez, translates his iconic tastes into an exquisite chic setting, while The Book Lounge is inspired by his home library in Paris. Discover fashion, luxury and beauty, fused together into a one-of-a-kind reflection of the world of Karl.

Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld, said, «It’s incredible to see Karl’s vision translated into reality at THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU. It is truly a unique and immersive experience into Karl’s world. He often spoke about his fascination for Chinese culture and Karl has seamlessly combined elements from both East and West with his unique style and creative expression. In Karl’s own words, let’s “embrace the present and invent the future.»

Karl Lagerfeld’s design concept for THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU stemmed from a sophisticated reimagining of modern Chinoiserie fused with traditional craftsmanship, bold colors and patterns meet tailored silhouettes.

All rooms and suites showcase influences of both classic Chinese design and contemporary Western aesthetics: custom-created headboards were inspired by auspicious Chinese coins that represent good fortune, while porcelain vases were handmade in Jingdezhen and circular room dividers were inspired by traditional Chinese moon gates.

Reflecting Karl Lagerfeld’s passion for collaboration, specially commissioned furnishings include exquisite sculptures by Dutch artist Marcel Wanders and French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel, and Terzani chandeliers.

For information about THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU and to book your stay, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Karl Lagerfeld Macau
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Furthering the House’s connection to Saint-Tropez, Gucci also announces its collaboration with Loulou Ramatuelle Beach Club, which was home to Burberry last year. For the previous post, click here please. This season until the end of September, the renowned beach club undergoes a captivating transformation, immersing visitors in the world of Gucci.

In occasion of this exclusive partnership Gucci introduces its unique aesthetic to every aspect of the Loulou Ramatuelle Beach Club experience. Umbrellas, sunbeds, towels, cushions, and more are adorned with the House’s signature Interlocking G logo, stripe patterns and a fresh palette creating the ultimate luxury destination for the summer.

The space also hosts a temporary Gucci pop-up allowing visitors to discover the exclusive capsule collection envisioned for Saint-Tropez directly at the picturesque location along with pieces from the Summer Stories collection. For an all-round experience, the bar offers a special a selection of cocktails and menus curated by Giardino 25, the House’s all-day café and cocktail bar in the heart of Florence.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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Gucci announces the reopening of its newly renovated boutique in Saint-Tropez. Located at 72, rue François Sibilli, between the port and the place des Lices, the space spans over 200 square meters across two floors and carries a wide array of pieces comprising ready-to-wear and accessories for both men and women. Guests are welcomed to discover the House’s signature handbags lines including the Jackie 1961, the Bamboo 1947 and the Horsebit 1955 along with a curated selection of precious jewelry pieces. In addition, the boutique showcases items from the Gucci Valigeria collection envisioned for the perfect get-away.

Situated in a classic Saint-Tropez house characterized by the typical green shutters that define the surrounding landscape, the boutique is crowned by a private garden designed around an old well providing guests with a space to relax, enjoy the greenery and immerse themselves in the beautiful atmosphere of the French Riviera.

The design of the interiors complements the outdoors evoking the unique beauty of the Cote D’Azur through light-toned hues and the implementation of local materials and finishes. Floors are adorned with Liberty style mosaics recreating curved volutes designs typical of the early 20th century. Natural oak panels found across walls harmoniously complement woven rattan finishes in a nod to local craftmanship traditions.

Envisioned to make guests feel at home, the store is framed with newly designed racks inspired by classic brass designs associated with drawers reminiscent of hard sided trunks inspired by the House’s luggage offer. Carpets and curtains match the boutique’s sophisticated palette evoking the light-hearted spirit of warm summer days. Ensuring the most comfortable and intimate shopping experience, guests may reserve a dedicated room within the store to enjoy privacy and special services tailored to their specific needs.

As part of Gucci’s commitment to implement and enhance eco-friendly initiatives and energy-efficient technologies in the House’s stores worldwide, the new boutique is designed using LEED guidelines and principles; monitor and promote energy efficiency.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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