bottega veneta brings murano glass cacti and le corbusier’s cabanon stools to its FW24 show

Le Corbusier’s LC14 Cabanon stool in Bottega Veneta’s FW24 show

For Bottega Veneta’s FW24 set design during Milan Fashion Week, Matthieu Blazy brings in Le Corbusier’s LC14 Cabanon stool and a series of large-scale glass flowering cacti that were all handmade on the island of Murano in Venice. It was the third time that Bottega Veneta’s Creative Director tapped Cassina for the show seating, this time with a tailored edition of Le Corbusier’s LC14 Cabanon stool, in close collaboration with Fondation Le Corbusier.

These stools have a scorched wood finish inspired by a traditional Japanese technique, giving natural protection to the wood while revealing the distinct patterns of the grain in the finish. Bottega Veneta applies the same Japanese technique to the entire flooring of the FW24 show in Milan to continue Le Corbusier’s touch throughout.

images courtesy of Bottega Veneta

large-scale glass flowering cacti made by Murano artisans

Spurting from corners in their bloomed forms, handmade large-scale glass flowering cacti made by Murano artisans adorn Bottega Veneta’s FW24 show in Milan and complement the scorched wood of Le Corbusier’s LC14 Cabanon stools. For Matthieu Blazy, these Murano glass cacti symbolize strength, protection, and adaptability, all the while echoing a meaning of hope and resilience.

Matthieu Blazy brings in Le Corbusier’s LC14 Cabanon stool and a series of large-scale glass flowering cacti

It is not a coincidence that the Creative Director employs Murano glass for this year’s show, given that it has been a recurring motif for him and an established element that shows up in his Bottega Veneta collections. Now that the FW24 show has ended, Bottega Veneta is set to showcase a selection of the tabourets along with a new tribute to Le Corbusier’s classic design in a special installation during Milan Design Week 2024.

these stools have a scorched wood finish inspired by a traditional Japanese technique

Bottega Veneta’s FW24 set design at Milan Fashion Week

The appearance of the Murano glass cacti in Bottega Veneta’s FW24 show in Milan is rooted in the personal visits that Matthieu Blazy took in the south of Italy, especially in Calabria. The sun-filled Southern Italy evokes their landscapes through the saturated lighting of the show, which can recall the colors streaming through the peak of sunset. The Creative Director also turns inwards for the set design of his FW24 show, calling upon the metaphorical essence of the cactus to drive his motif.

Bottega Veneta applies the same Japanese technique to the entire flooring of the FW24 show in Milan

For him, the cactus grows where nothing else can grow. This sense of introspection is underlined with the use of Murano glass cacti in the set, brushing against Le Corbusier’s LC14 Cabanon stools, which the architect repurposed from their original design as whiskey boxes. ‘The floor is fired, the box stool fired, the Murano glass cactus is fired… Each shows a unique identity through technique. Nothing repeats – like the Intrecciato. The elegance is in the simplicity, honesty, and resilience,’ adds the Bottega Veneta Creative Director.

close-up view of the Murano glass cacti