limonaia a milano: antonio aricò shows dolce & gabbana casa collection

‘in a far away land is a yellow limonaia’

Nestled away in a hidden patio atop the Milan showroom of Dolce & Gabbana Casa, visitors during Milan Design Week 2023 can discover Antonio Aricò‘s oasis installation titled Limonaia a Milano. The space showcases the Calabrian designer’s latest collection of ceramic objects within a baroque-styled pergola, whose yellow glass shade casts a sunny haze across the display. Aricò continues to explore his whimsical translation of classical motifs, as cherubs, ornate pottery and stone furniture pieces are crafted through a playful lens.

‘The designer’s job is to put the art and feelings I bring inside at the service of the company I work for,’ says Antonio Aricò. ‘A marriage between my inner self and that of the brand. Having the opportunity to listen to entrepreneurs who have made the history of Italy in the world by putting the passion for a dream at the center of everything is something that has a special value, especially today.’

image © Mattia Aquila, Courtesy Dolce&Gabbana

sculptural objects by antonio aricò for dolce & gabbana casa

Antonio Aricò’s Limonaia a Milano installation can be found at the top floor of Dolce & Gabbana Casa. The Milan showroom is located at Via Giuseppe Broggi 23, and showcases the brand‘s larger home collection, as well as a painting by the designer created as part of the collection. Limonaia a Milano comprises both functional and sculptural objects including a watering can, a monographed basket, a gondola-shaped vase, and a bejeweled broom.

Antonio Aricò describes the spirit of the collection: ‘In a far away land is a yellow Limonaia. Crafted from earth of Impruneta, forged and decorated by happy hands. Cherubs, lemons, curls and drapes welcome golden branches warmed by yellow glass. A crystal Limonaia shines secretly on the rooftops of Milan. A ray of light warms it and transforms all its vases in citrus skin. A great weaving welcomes the steps of those who discover it. A baroque broom ornate with jewels peacefully rests in the shadows of lemons.’

portrait of the designer | image © Mattia Aquila, Courtesy Dolce&Gabbana

Antonio Aricò realizes his Limonaia Milano collection as part of a larger project followed by GEN D, a mentorship program launched by Dolce & Gabbana Casa and curated by Federica Sala. The larger, three-story exhibition at the Milan showroom highlights artistic creations designed by separate artists in collaboration with the brand. The designer continues: ‘In the coming months I will tell the behind-the-scenes story of the project made in collaboration with fantastic people who have accompanied me for a whole year.

‘The Mariani Furnace of Impruneta in Tuscany, glass artist Soheila Dilfanian in Novara, sculptor Vito Guardo from Catania, Bottega Intreccio from Mogliano Marche, blacksmith Mauro Solci, Mariella Chiloiro of Milan, and many others. Special thanks go to Fabio Conticelli of Fornace Mariani, without his cheerfulness and passion the pieces would not have been the same.’

installation view from inside the showroom | image © designboom Antonio Aricò at Limonaia a Milano | image © designboom