Domus x Luca Nichetto create playful objects for Milan Design Week

1735 marks the birth of an Italian brand that has—for over two centuries—relentlessly pursued beauty, a year that now emblazons the brand’s new identity: Ginori 1735. The brand has built an immaculate reputation of breathing life into the art of making porcelain, becoming a global reference point for the creation of sculptures. The change of brand identity from Richard Ginori to Ginori 1735 represents a wave of renewal that engulfs it on all levels. Having made an indelible mark in high-quality porcelain tableware and housewares, the brand now turns towards the luxury and lifestyle sector. The forthcoming Milan Design Week 2023 platforms the evolution of the company, showcasing its debut foray into the world of interior design.

Joining forces with Swedish designer Luca Nichetto for the latest edition of the design festival, GInori 1735 is set to launch the first-ever home extension for the brand: Domus. Following distinctive features of decorations and sculptural details, characterising Ginori 1735, the initial idea of Domus was to create a series of objects that would embody the gracious yet audacious mood typical to the brand. “Taking inspiration from Ginori’s heritage, we thought of connecting them to equally experienced brands whose knowledge is anchored in tradition and craftsmanship,” reads a statement from Nichetto Studio. Partners for the Domus collection include Rubelli, known for their textile expertise, Barovier&Toso, celebrated for its glass artistry, and a series of local Italian artisans celebrated for their craftsmanship.

Nichetto Studio and Ginori 1735’s collaborative journey began in 2019 when Nichetto originally worked on the brand’s first lifestyle extension with a home fragrance collection called LCDC La Compagnia di Caterina paving the way to a world of collaborations. For the new collection, the designer wanted to work with Ginori’s values of tradition and quality, yielding a playful ensemble that bridges multiple product categories: lighting design, furniture design, and textiles. Renaissance becomes the protagonist in the chosen colour palette, shapes, and materials that evoke the research of beauty and harmony in all of Nichetto Studio’s designs.

LaTour, an unexpected shelving system took form when Nichetto Studio envisioned a scene where a set of dishes had slipped from the hands of an experienced waiter and gone flying through the air. The product design breaks down the concept of traditional cabinets with a series of porcelain trays at adjustable heights. LaTour alludes to the beloved Torre di Pisa—one of the most iconic Tuscan symbols—with a playful twist. The LaVenus lounge chairs feature an enveloping shell-like form evocative of Botticelli’s work, infused with Ginori’s heritage. A thin metal piping detail surrounds the seat giving the appearance of a light and ethereal chair design.

With Dulcis, Nichetto epitomises the inspiration he found in the soft and generous shapes of traditional wedding favours created by the brand in the late 70s. Optique, on the other hand, is designed to rest on three legs to resemble an arched structure, typical of traditional Italian churches. The table design carries its distinctive tridimensional optical illusion power through the engraved removable tray functioning as its tabletop. The alliance with Rubelli and the ensuing experimentations in textile design culminates in Ondori, Saia, Sagitta and Oriente Italiano. With Barovier&Toso, Nichetto studio crafts exquisite lighting designs in glass: Conterie, taking cues from heritage jewels; Sideris, influenced greatly by Renaissance and Galileo’s scientific discoveries; and Trinitas, a lamp design that reiterates Ginori 1735’s attention to proper etiquette around the table.

Through the diverse troupe that partakes in Domus, Nichetto Studio and Ginori 1735, weaves together craftsmanship and tradition, elements that become inextricable from the units. Using Milan Design Week as an opportunity for their partnership to flourish, the collaborators breathe life into silhouettes that speak of a rich legacy while being equally contemporary—a collection where nothing is left to chance.

STIR’s coverage of Milan Design Week 2023 showcases the best exhibitions, studios, designers, installations, brands, and special projects to look out for. Explore Euroluce 2023 and all the design districts—5Vie Art and Design, Brera Design District, Fuorisalone, Isola Design District, Tortona District, and Milano Design District—with us.