Three months ago, Design Holding‘s D Studio opened its first retail store in Copenhagen to feature furniture and lighting designs from esteemed design brands. Today, coinciding with the 2021 chapter of Salone del Mobile, it celebrates the opening of a new destination in Milan. Here, each of Design Holding’s brands—including B&B Italia, Maxalto, Azucena, Arclinea, Flos, and Louis Poulsen—will interact under one roof.
As the brainchild of Massimiliano Locatelli and Piero Lissoni, the new Milan-based store highlights the relationship between creation and space. The showroom, which was originally designed in 1954 by Sommariva Studio, was once a light-filled car showroom with plate-glass windows and skylights. Now repurposed by Locatelli, the three-level store continues to offer continuity and volume, yet establish a new relationship with the city.
Courtesy of D Studio.
At D Studio Milan, creations by the leading brands will provide visitors the best of Italian and Scandinavian invention, including new products, services, inspiration, and technology. On the ground floor, guests can discover a surprise garden, while wandering through the lower ground floor to explore expansive pre-existing windows, sun-flooded floors, and special lighting designs with installations of mirrors. At the lower ground floor, guests can discover the D Studio Villa—a living space—and on the mezzanine level, which can be accessed by a wide staircase, take advantage of spectacular viewpoints and an array of new offerings from the brands.
Inside and in the garden, B&B Italia features its entire indoor and outdoor collections. Pieces like Camaleonda by Mario Bellini, UP by Gaetano Pesce, the Noonu sofa system by Antonio Citterio, the Allure O’ table and Flair O’ swivel dining chair by Monica Armani, the Harbor Laidback armchair by Naoto Fukasawa, and the Sir Vito multi-purpose table by Studio Kairos are of note. For D Studio Milan’s opening, it will also preview some of B&B Italia’s 2022 creations, including the “Pablo Outdoor” collection by Vincent Van Duysen and “Borea” by Piero Lissoni.
Courtesy of D Studio.
Maxalto’s mezzanine presentation, spread across 400 square meters, reveals timeless styles designed by Antonio Citterio. Azucena‘s discreet yet recognizable pieces will be shown throughout the showroom, with classics designed by Luigi Caccia Dominioni punctuating the space. On the ground floor, Arclinea‘s offerings welcome visitors to discover furnishings like the “Thea” kitchen collection by Antonio Citterio, illustrating the flexibility of a “wet” and “show” kitchen system for technical and convivial purposes.
Courtesy of D Studio.
Across all floors, guests will then find Flos lighting creations, beginning with the long ground-level wall space that hosts decorative products. Both inside and outdoors, decorative and technical lighting On the ground floor, the “Piazza of Light” reflects off of mirrors, while the “Technical Theatre” combines light design and technology to put the brand’s ingenuity to the test. Here, D Studio Milan will also reveal Jasper Morrison‘s wall light named Oplight. At the launch, D Studio’s display window will also host installations dedicated to “Coordinates” by Michael Anastassiades, and present a special edition of Parentesi—a 50th-anniversary celebration of Achille Castiglioni and Pio Manzù‘s masterpiece. Louis Poulsen‘s Scandinavian designs will create dialogue between light and form with new lamps, providing decorative and architectural lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor settings.
Courtesy of D Studio.
During the store’s opening week, the brand will also unveil new iconic designs; present updated and never-before-seen versions of the Panthella light by Verner Panton; reveal Moonsetter by the Danish rising star designer, Anne Boysen; show extensions to the Patera pendant lamps, introduced by designer Øivind Slaatto himself; and present the new NJP Mini table lamp, created in collaboration with the award-winning Japanese design house, nendo; and present a collaboration between the brand and BIG Ideas will show new “Keglen” collection pieces, including table, floor, pendant, and wall lights.
Additionally, two of Louis Poulsen’s celebrated Danish house designers—Vilhelm Lauritzen and Poul Henningsen—will reintroduce iconic heritage designs (including the “VL Studio” family and the PH 80 floor lamp), as well as show new designs like this year’s limited-edition PH 2/2 style named The Question Mark.
Courtesy of D Studio.
With this Milanese outpost, D Studio continues to embrace the spirit of local surroundings and global creativity. Later this year, it aims to expand upon its locations and launch a Madison Avenue space in New York, welcoming the American market to its curated collection of premiere lighting and furniture design.
