A unique exhibition celebrating bamboo's role in fashion history opened this week in Milan during the city's Fuorisalone 2025 design festival. "Gucci | Bamboo Encounters" transforms the historic San Simpliciano Cloisters into a showcase of contemporary creative interpretations.
Curated by Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli and his studio 2050+, the exhibition draws inspiration from Gucci's 1940s innovation when the fashion house first incorporated bamboo culms as handles in their handbags. This material choice, born from necessity during wartime resource shortages, evolved into a defining element of the brand's identity.
International artists and designers were invited to reinterpret bamboo through their unique cultural and artistic perspectives. The resulting collection presents diverse approaches to this versatile material.
Swedish artist Anton Alvarez contributes "1802251226", a sculptural piece that explores bamboo's structural properties. Palestinian designer Dima Srouji presents "Hybrid Exhalations", which combines found bamboo baskets with mouth-blown glass elements.
Dutch collective Kite Club (Bertjan Pot, Liesbeth Abbenes, and Maurice Scheltens) offers "Thank you, Bamboo", functional kites that highlight the material's lightweight strength. Austrian designer Laurids Gallée's "Scaffolding" reinterprets bamboo through contemporary resin objects.
Italian artist Nathalie Du Pasquier's "PASSAVENTO" installation and Korean designer Sisan Lee's aluminum works "Engraved" demonstrate bamboo's cross-cultural significance. The exhibition concludes with a light installation by the back studio (Eugenio Rossi and Yaazd Contractor) that bridges traditional craftsmanship with modern design.
The exhibition runs April 8-13, 2025, featuring public talks and events throughout its duration. This cultural initiative reflects bamboo's continuing relevance in design, connecting historical techniques with contemporary interpretations.
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Andrea Darren
Born in Manchester, from a young age, she was passionate about art and design. She studied at the University of the Arts in London, where she developed her skills in these fields. Today, Andrea works as an editor for a renowned publishing house, combining her love for art and design with her editorial expertise.