Rare is the fashion house that finds the elixir to longevity: a leader inextricable from the brand’s identity, a timeless appeal, and an ability to pivot across creative disciplines with conviction. One such brand is Giorgio Armani – founded almost five decades ago, it continues to be steered by its razor-sharp founder, and its blend of geometry, clarity and quality remain as intact and alluring as ever.
Living with Armani Casa
Riesling bar cabinet with moonlight motif by Armani/Casa paired with La plage dans la nuit, 2021, pastel and acrylic on canvas by Roberto Ruspoli, Male Torso, marble, Roman, 1st century AD from Galerie Chenel and 1983 stool by Afra & Tobia Scarpa
In 2000, the brand unveiled Armani Casa, a full-scale expansion into the interior design world, with wide-ranging offerings in furniture, accessories and decorative objects, and later, an in-house studio in charge of Armani-branded hotels and residences. Now, Armani Casa is entering another creative sphere: art, with a new project aptly titled Art & Armani Casa. Art directed by Nick Vinson of Vinson & Co, the project sees emblematic pieces from the brand’s collection paired with important art and artefacts, ranging from Roman antiquities to contemporary works, intersected by prime examples of modernism. ‘This project is a celebration of the timeless value of beauty, brought out in all its clarity by a series of unexpected and inspiring conjunctions,’ says Mr Armani. ‘I have always worked by means of subtraction, eliminating what is not necessary to highlight the material, design and workmanship. Pieces of furniture are made to stay: compared to fashion, they have an extended lifespan, which shines through in these images with exciting intensity.’
Osimo 2-seater sofa in Jaipur upholstery by Armani/Casa, paired with carpet by Alfombras Peña (limited edition of 20), reproduced work, Untitled, ink drawing 1985, by Eduardo Chillida, special thanks to Guiomar Chillida and Gonzalo Calderón, Estate of Eduardo Chillida and Hauser & Wirth. Cushions by Armani/Casa, flowers by Castor-Fleuriste
The pairings are not an instruction, but a taste of the look and feel of living with Armani Casa. There are no half measures for the project’s debut, which features work by leading modern masters, including Mario Merz, Eduardo Chillida and Jean Dubuffet, alongside contemporary talent, such as Eleni Vernadaki, Roberto Ruspoli and Maximilien Pellet.
Venetian plaster walls and travertine floors offer a pure, minimal canvas on which to spotlight these visual assemblages. In one of them we find Armani Casa’s ‘Osimo’ sofa co-starring in a duet with Chillida’s 1985 untitled ink drawing, which has been turned into a limited-edition rug by Alfombras Peña. Known for his monumental sculptures, the Spanish artist was just as adept on paper. His mostly black-and-white works carry weight and depth, but also a delicacy and dynamism echoed in the volumes of the ‘Osimo’.
Euclide desk in black maple and painted steel by Armani/Casa, paired with Profile de l’homme en blanc et bleu, 2020, earthenware on wood by Maximilien Pellet from Double V Gallery. On desk: Trapezophoros depicting a panther, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble, from Galerie Chenel, and Birds, Eleni Vernadaki,1980s’ chromed brass and earthenware. Flowers by Castor-Fleuriste
In another composition, Armani Casa’s ‘Rosemond’ table, in brushed brown ash wood and satin light brass, sits beneath a vortex-like work, in acrylic on jute, by Italian artist Merz. On the table are three busts by Spanish artist Sergio Roger, meticulously formed in antique linen rather than plaster or marble.
Matrix console in black straw marquetry by Armani/Casa and Logo lamp by Armani/Casa, paired with Parachiffre XXXIII,1975, vinyl paint on paper laid down on canvas, by Jean Dubuffet, from a private collection with the kind authorisation of Sotheby’s Private Sales, France. On desk: Head of Herakles and Head of Apollo, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, from Galerie Chenel
‘Whether it is a painting by a living artist or a classical sculpture, I find in these artefacts the same drive towards the essence, the same linear taste, the same careful attention,’ says Mr Armani. ‘It is proof that true modernity is classic, and that the classic expresses absolute modernity, which is the essence of Armani Casa.’ An eclectic meeting of eras and styles, Art & Armani Casa reminds us that, in a digitised world, there is no substitute for the real deal.
INFORMATION
-
Our Tech Editor's selection of new and upgraded audio players covers the full spectrum of formatsWhether it’s vinyl, cassette, CD or mp3, or even sound sources you’ve captured yourself, you’ll find a suitable device in this round-up of pocketable and portable audio players
-
This Swedish summer house is a family's serene retreat by the trees and the Baltic seaHorsö, a Swedish summer house by Atelier Alba is a playfully elegant retreat by the Kalmarsund Sea and a natural reserve
-
A new exhibition retraces 50 years of Pierre Paulin’s history around the table‘Les Tables de Pierre Paulin’ shows a lesser-known side of the designer’s creative world, accompanied by a new book tracing his wife’s hospitality around his iconic table designs. ‘A creator is never alone in his creation…’
-
Nike’s Serena Williams Building: an exclusive first lookThe latest addition to Nike’s world HQ in Oregon, the Serena Williams Building brings the brand’s entire design team under one roof
-
Armani Casa marks 20 years at the heart of the well-considered homeThe Italian brand called on Wallpaper* contributing editor Nick Vinson to art direct its anniversary editorial campaign, which debuted in the September 2020 issue of Wallpaper*
-
Tom Pigeon creates prints for Team GB ahead of 2020 OlympicsAhead of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, Tom Pigeon has designed prints for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team, inspired by classic posters from the 1960s and 1970s and Russian constructivist art
-
Peter Marino’s new textile for Rubelli has that Venetian glowThe first collaboration between Peter Marino and fifth generation Italian textile company Rubelli launches in Venice
-
Pierre Yovanovitch designs vibrant retail space at Villa Noailles in Hyères -
Bright sparks: Plumen’s latest energy-efficient bulb recreates the soft glow of an earlier age -
Nordic nous: new Danish brand Million launches with an eclectic furniture offering
