Cristina Celestino announced as the ‘Designer of the Year’ by Maison&Objet

Maison&Objet is all set to return for a sensorial edition from September 8, 2022 till September 12, 2022 at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, Paris. At each of its editions, the design event names a ‘Designer of the Year’ celebrating the works of the most outstanding designers from across the globe. For the September 2022 edition, the iconic Italian architect and designer Cristina Celestino has been honoured with the title. As a prolific designer from Italy, Celestino exudes an exquisite and dazzling creative flair and is set to throw open the doors of her ‘Palais Exotique’ for the duration of the trade fair, momentarily whisking the observers off to another reality. 

Born in Pordenone, Italy, Cristina Celestino initially studied architecture at the University of Venice. Post which, she embarked on collaborations with various design studios, focusing her attention on interior design and product design. At present, the Attico Design studio founded by Celestino focuses on exclusive projects, handling both the art direction and design work for private and corporate clients alike, ranging from residential design to hospitality design.

With sociability and sharing at the heart of her practice, Celestino continues to create increasingly adaptable designs for the hospitality and retail sectors that encourage sharing and make people feel at home while promoting conversations, work, and even rest. Her desire for sociability is particularly evident in the addition of several chair designs, settees, footstools, and couches, all of which were created by Celestino herself. Focusing her attention on seaters and sofa designs Celestino adds, “Sofas are one kind of product that I’m extremely comfortable designing and that I thoroughly enjoy exploring. They bring people together and provide somewhere to sit down for a chat. For me, sofas are so much more than just a piece of furniture.”

With a successful design career on hand, the Italian designer also translates her skills into the field of jewellery and fashion design. Celestino’s work and approach manifest her enduring desire to strike a balance between art, fashion and design. Her projects for Fendi and the stores she has designed for Sergio Rossi shine a light on her familiarity with the world of fashion and major couture houses. “The work they do is extremely meticulous and involves researching and prototyping, so it’s not really any different to the world of design,” says Celestino upon the interlacing practices of interior design, product design and fashion.

Channelling her desire for a temporary immersion into a different reality, Celestino is all set to showcase her installation ‘Palais Exotique’ for the duration of the design event. The immersive exhibition will be spearheaded by elements that emphasise the idea of exotic beauty, the designer’s love for decoration and vibrant colours and the urge to create scenarios in tune with nature. “Opening windows on other worlds, creating bridges between past and present, gift the audience with a reinterpretation of topics like ‘watching’, ‘conversating’ and ‘sharing’ as part of a choral approach. On this ground, the decorative and architectural project becomes the mean to convey the senses,” expresses Celestino.

Maison&Objet, following on from Franklin Azzi’s win last year for his eclectic architecture, now honours Cristina Celestino for her exquisite designs and sophisticated creations. She keeps a keen eye for details having observed the works of legendary designers and architects including Adolf Loos and Carlo Scarpa. Her attention to detail holds good for her large-scale installations as well as small furniture pieces given that she believes in the importance of observation and inspiration from the multilayered history crowning the design industry. “I never hesitate to draw inspiration from the past when embarking on a new project,” says Celestino upon her sources of inspiration in design. She often associates and incorporates historical themes in her collections, for instance, her collaborative collection for Fornace Brioni- an Italian tile brand, Celestino took nibs and notes from the local Italian surroundings such as the Palazzo del Te grotto, the Lombardy region and their history.

For over 25 Years, Maison&Objet has been organised by SAFI, a subsidiary of Ateliers d’Art de France, and aims to bring international design, home decor and lifestyle communities together. It helps in not just providing a global platform for showcasing the works, but also helps every designer and design enthusiast to generate connections and accelerate business. The September 2022 edition of the trade fair is focused on the theme ‘Meta Sensible’,  where the Parisian Design Fair will inculcate deep-rooted emotions and associations with the design over physical as well as digital platforms.