Milan Design Week - Studiopepe: Les Arcanistes
Studiopepe wowed the crowds at the 2019 edition of Milan Design Week, taking over a large industrial warehouse to showcase beautiful lighting, furniture and accessory designs.
As the world descended into Milan during a wet week in April, the stage was set for the most talked about design event of the year. An opportunity for brands and studios to showcase their very best in furniture, lighting and accessory design, the week is a competition against one another for publicity and the best exhibition spaces to display their works in the best way possible. Studiopepe, the Milan-based interiors duo of Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto, took the crown for the 2019 edition as the stand-out designer showcase, taking over a large industrial space; a former gold manufacture that dated back to the 1900s, providing a dramatic backdrop for the studio's exhibition titled 'Les Arcanistes'.
The Arcanists were ante-litteram chemists, who held the valued and secret knowledge of the formulas to create porcelain and held the skills to work with materials such as glass and metals. Inspired by the fascinating history and the craft of these vital materials, Studiopepe, in collaboration with their partners, designed a path through design, a unique experience that showcased bespoke pieces with re-creations of historical works, and artworks displayed within enchanting and immersive installation rooms for visitors to explore and discover, including performers and experts engaging with the crowds from botanical chemists creating elixirs and tarot readers to dramatic performers eerily pouring glasses of water.
An absolute pleasure to walk around, every corner and room showcased a unique and beautiful style, enhancing the presence of the featured furniture, accessories and lighting designs contained within.
'Les Arcanistes' was a personal highlight, reinvigorating the design stage and injecting new creativity back into Milan Design Week. Even with minimal promotion, the quality of design and immersive experience quickly became a hot topic, attracting the attention of the crowds and showing the world just how design works best.
