Discover the Wallpaper* guide to Salone del Mobile 2023 and Milan Design Week
Studiopepe’s design philosophy is based on extensive iconographic research, a conceptual approach to objects and a touch of the unexpected, giving a rich context to everything it does (including its 2023 horoscopes for Wallpaper*). Its penchant for symbolism is apparent in its latest creation for Visionnaire, the ‘Shibari’ chair, which is named after the Japanese word for ‘binding’ or ‘tying’.
This is the second collaboration between the luxury interiors brand and the Milanese design studio, following a fruitful debut at last year's fair that featured a pair of fringed mirrors inspired by astrology, and a series of tongue-shaped lighting designs.
‘Across history the knot has had many different meanings, including sacred and religious symbolism,’ explain Studiopepe co-founders Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto. ‘In Egypt it represented life: the knot of Isis stood for immortality and divine love, while the endless knot is one of the most ancient motifs, used in Buddhist symbolism in China and Tibet, but also in geographically distant zones, to convey a sense of infinite devotion.’
The pair are also keen to point out that knots are also about connection: ‘Since ancient times the knot has had a clear meaning of junction and commitment between two people. This meaning is immediately associated with love, precisely to emphasise the inseparable nature of a bond. It is not a noose, not a tight restraint, but an intertwined connection, representing a sense of give and take, of help in moments of need. Extended horizontally, it reminds us of the symbol of infinity: what could be a better way to represent everlasting love?’
Studiopepe’s own knot takes shape on the backrest of its new ‘Shibari’ chair, which will be upholstered in Paddington, an ecological fur made from recycled PET, which itself will be recyclable. It will be displayed in Milan at the studio’s ‘Empire of the Senses’ exhibition for Visionnaire.
Salone del Mobile, Fiera Milano Rho, Hall 5, Stand L11
Visionnaire Piazza Cavour, 3
Look out for more May 2023 issue of Wallpaper*, on sale 13 April, for more Salone del Mobile previews. Wallpaper* is available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spotHeritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
Tokyo design studio We+ transforms microalgae into coloursCould microalgae be the sustainable pigment of the future? A Japanese research project investigates
-
Delvis (Un)Limited turns a Brera shopfront into a live-in design installationWhat happens when collectible design becomes part of a live performance? The Theatre of Things, curated by Joseph Grima and Valentina Ciuffi, invited designers to live with their work – and let the public look in
-
Naoto Fukasawa sparks children’s imaginations with play sculpturesThe Japanese designer creates an intuitive series of bold play sculptures, designed to spark children’s desire to play without thinking
-
Inside the Shakti Design Residency, taking Indian craftsmanship to Alcova 2025The new initiative pairs emerging talents with some of India’s most prestigious ateliers, resulting in intricately crafted designs, as seen at Alcova 2025 in Milan
-
Faye Toogood comes up roses at Milan Design Week 2025Japanese ceramics specialist Noritake’s design collection blossoms with a bold floral series by Faye Toogood
-
6:AM create a spellbinding Murano glass showcase in Milan’s abandoned public shower stallsWith its first solo exhibition, ‘Two-Fold Silence’, 6:AM unveils an enchanting Murano glass installation beneath Piscina Cozzi
-
Dimoremilano and Loro Piana channel 1970s cinema in decadent Milan displayAt Milan Design Week 2025, Dimorestudio has directed and staged an immersive, film-inspired installation to present new furniture and decor for Loro Piana
-
In Milan, MoscaPartners presents a poetic exploration of ‘migration’Alongside immersive work by Byoung Cho, MoscaPartners’ Milan Design Week 2025 display features an accessible exhibition path designed for visually impaired visitors
