STUDIOPEPE AT CO VAN DER HORST;
DESIGN ICONS BRING MILAN TO AMSTELVEEN

On Thursday 22nd of March the international design duo Studiopepe opened the stunning
new department Co Avantgarde in the showroom of Co van der Horst.
Avantgarde is the result of a special collaboration between the two brothers
and Arianna and Chiara, which sprouted during the Milan Design Week 2017.
During that edition, Studiopepe were the talk of the town because of their presentation ‘The Visit’.
VITA DI LUSSO had a lovely interview with them.

Contatti

When I asked the ladies how they actually got in contact with Co van der Horst, Arianna revealed that Fabrizio Cantoni of cc-tapis was the matchmaker. Fabrizio already supplied Co van der Horst with his extraordinary handmade rugs for some time and told them about Studiopepe. During the Milan Design Week 2017 Co van der Horst was totally blown away by their presentation, just like everybody else, and they immediately knew that Studiopepe was their ideal partner to realize their ideas for the new Avantgarde department.

Of course Fabrizio attended the opening and of course VITA DI LUSSO had to catch up with him! Exactly one year ago I was introduced to Fabrizio at the Textile Event of Co van der Horst, where after I had a very inspiring interview in his showroom in Milan.
So good to see him again and to have a chat at the Baxter sofa, with our feet on one of the cc-tapis rugs! Although we follow each other very committedly on social media, it is always much more fun to talk face to face.

Visione

What I also wanted to ask Studiopepe, is how a certain vision on such a project originates. Mostly, because Studiopepe consists of two designers.
Chiara explains that their similarities and differences and the dynamics between those two, actually work really well. “We both have a passion for design, but we approach each project from a different perspective. That is very refreshing. First, we both start some kind of individual reflection process. From out a totally free standpoint we explore art, objects and other inspiring things over and over again. After that, we bring ideas and parts of references together, in order to melt those into a new concept in a very natural, organic way.
During that process we come up with solutions or bring up interesting thoughts after a constructive discussion.

For the Avantgarde department the starting point was to present ‘mother earth treasures’ from Italy, and those from Milan in particular. Therein the key subjects were shapes, materials and timelessness.”

An-ti-ca-me-ra

Arianna also reveals that their meeting with Solid Nature was from great importance, because stones became the spectacular foundation of this concept. “Eventually, we had the idea to create an environment wherein we could welcome and surprise everyone, before entering the other rooms in Avantgarde.”

One of the must evident elements of An-ti-ca-me-ra is the modern translation of Palladiana; a geometric game of inlays of Solid Nature’s stones. But also the flooring, where wood is combined with stone parts, is a nice-looking eyecatcher.
Next to the ‘mother nature treasures’ from Italy, they also brought in some Italian top labels such as Arflex and Baxter, the rugs from cc-tapis and some bespoke products of Studiopepe, designed by Co van der Horst. These are mixed and matched with the raw materials and elegant lines of the pieces of designer Christophe Delcourt as well as the sculptural and handcrafted objects of Van Rossum.

Inviti Milano

We closed our inspiring talk with a nice invitation for the Milan Design Week: together with Co van der Horst they will bring to live interior novelties, color and styling in Club Unseen and VITA DI LUSSO is one of the guests.
And also Fabrizio told me to save a date for a special press preview in the showroom of cc-tapis. Well, of course!

Would you like to experience An-ti-ca-me-ra and Co Avantgarde yourself? Then feel free to come over to the showroom of Co van der Horst in Amstelveen. Enjoy!

Text: VITA DI LUSSO
Photos: Hans Gorter Fotografie