The Fuorisalone, alongside the Salone del Mobile, returned this year to celebrate Milan as the Capital of International Design.
The 2022 event, titled Between Space and Time, invited us to reflect on the many changes happening in today’s world, to work towards a more sustainable future.
On this occasion, FLOS presented See the Stars Again, a concept exhibition to present innovative lighting collections across all divisions – Decorative, Architectural, Outdoor and Bespoke – designed by some of the most acclaimed international architects and designers.
Taking inspiration from the FuoriSalone’s theme, and exactly 60 years after the company was founded, FLOS transformed the sprawling industrial spaces of Fabbrica Orobia into a multi-experiential hub that offered visitors a mesmerising journey into the brand’s universe as well as into its history and its vision for the future.
See the Stars Again is hard to define in one word: the concept was developed by CEO Roberta Silva and Global Marketing Director Barbara Corti, alongside Design Curators Calvi Brambilla, authors of the outstanding exhibition design.
It came to life as a melting-pot of suggestions, references and activities to tell the company’s history, celebrate its 60th anniversary and, at the same time, share a message of energy and anticipation for the future. In fact, the phrase “See the Stars Again” refers to the last sentence of Dante’s Inferno, and wants to give its community a message of hope, courage and passion.
With See The Stars Again, we wanted to escape the temptation to create yet another glittery showcase.
On the contrary, we were interested in offering up a journey to discover Flos. A story of a brand which, 60 years after its foundation, is still the same in terms of its essence but has also become much more.
The physical and Virtual Tour take you through the converted rooms of Fabbrica Orobia, a six thousand square metres industrial space, to discover Flos in every form, from storytelling about the company’s history and most renowned designers to an exploration of technological innovation, design and the new eco-friendly approach to lighting design.
To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Flos also revealed a precious Limited Edition version of the iconic Arco lamp, designed by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni: the name of this anniversary edition is Arco K, and it will be available online in only 2022 numbered pieces.
The planned itinerary of See the Stars Again seamlessly takes visitors through the spacious rooms of Fabbrica Orobia, following the journey of Flos’ innovative lighting design.
At the entrance, we are welcomed by Patricia Urquiola’s design Almendra, an exploration of the dualism between technology and nature. Almendra is a modular lighting system inspired by an almond seed; designed to minimise environmental impact, it provides a functional, efficient but at the same time gentle and soft light and will breathe light and nature into any home.
The decorative collection then continues with acclaimed designers such as Marcel Wanders Studio with Skynest, a magical weaving of delicate textile tubes which is also fully recycled and recyclable, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby with Bellhop Wall Up, Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec with Luce Orizzontale, and Guglielmo Poletti with To-Tie, an essential, timeless table lamp.
Here, influential Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen presents two products, Oblique, a floor lamp, and Gustave, a portable, functional table lamp. Van Duysen also appears in the Outdoor collection with the project Spine, a new family of adjustable outdoor projectors. Spine, a game-changer in the sector, is a reinterpretation of the classic spotlight that blends Van Duysen’s essential aesthetics with the complex technology resulting from Flos’ engineering expertise.
London-based Micheal Anastassiades made his contribution with the unique My Circuit, in which curves and lines will give you freedom to draw without the constraint of conventional structures. For the Outdoor collection, the Cypriot designer also introduced the latest additions to the Captain Flint family, designed specifically for hospitality projects, resort space and luxury residences.
Another innovative outdoor design is Mayday Outdoor, by Konstantin Grcic, a functional light produced with a brand-new recycled material.
The centrepiece of See the Stars Again is Arco K, Achille and Piergiacomo Castiglioni’s Special Anniversary Edition of the most iconic Flos design. Arco K will be available online in only 2022 pieces.
At the heart of this special edition was the idea of using, instead of marble, a material that is recyclable, heavy, refined and technical at the same time: the choice fell on lead-free crystal. Except for this detail, the Arco K design is unchanged from the original.
Flos Architectural presented three new installations: Superline, Eclectic and Light Shadow, while Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec introduced the new Belt, which combines the versatility of fabric with the rigidity of aluminium.
Do not worry, here’s some great news! This immersive exhibition did not end with Milan’s Design Week: if you did not get the chance to See the Stars Again in Milan, have a look at their fantastic 3D Virtual Tour.
Let our fantastic storytellers and brand experts guide you through the 3D Virtual Tour and give you a more exhaustive narration of Flos’ history, design and inspirational creations. Book your Discovery Tour now!
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