missoni's knitown is a surreal mise-en-scène of miniature architecture, storiated in pattern

missoni’s knitown is a surreal mise-enscène of miniature architecture storiated in pattern
image © aldo lanzini, courtesy of missoni

since 1953, missoni has been redefining the meaning of knitwear, print and color. rosita missoni, together with her late husband ottavio, has established a name in the world of fashion and textile design that symoblizes the value of ‘made in italy’—continuously delivering a portfolio of garments rendered with unique knit materials, in unconventional combination of hues and shapes.

‘knitown’ by aldo lanzini, under the creative direction of angela missoni was installed at spazio missoni
image © designboom

milan design week 2016 saw missoni continuing to push its signature waves, zigzags, stripes in new directions with ‘knitown’—a special installation realized by artist aldo lanzini, under the creative direction of angela missoni. set within spazio missoni in the city’s brera district, ‘knitown’ was a surreal and abstract mise-en-scène of miniature architecture, storiated in pattern. a domestic-scale skyline of humble dwellings featured façades and walls realized in missoni’s emblematic knit fabrics, complete with doors and windows. as a collective community of dwellings, the warm, inviting town offered a cacophony of changing colors and sounds, full of charm and seducing the senses.

‘knitown’ was a surreal and abstract mise-en-scène of miniature architecture, storiated in pattern
image © aldo lanzini, courtesy of missoni

the collaboration between aldo lanzini and missoni was a match made in heaven. combining art and experimentation through various mediums, lanzini renders sculptural forms—from masks to costumes in the form of fetishized creatures—through the employment of crochet methods in his creative practice.

the special installation offered a skyline of humble dwellings rendered in missoni’s emblematic knit fabrics
image © aldo lanzini, courtesy of missoni

the chromatic harmony of ‘knitown’ offered visually playful combinations and special variations of missoni’s knitwear, given an alternative life as houses projecting a collision of dainty and whimsical patterns; with graphic lines, bright plastics and special lighting and sound.

read designboom’s interview with luca missoni who elaborated on the italian fashion house’s artistic origins and its pursuit of color here.

the warm, inviting town offered a cacophony of changing colors and sounds, full of charm and seducing the senses
image © aldo lanzini, courtesy of missoni

missoni’s signature waves, zigzags and stripes were pushed into new architectural directions
image © designboom

installation view of ‘knitown’ during milan design week 2016
image © designboom

the chromatic harmony of ‘knitown’
image © aldo lanzini, courtesy of missoni

missoni’s knitwear was given an alternative life as houses in ‘knitown’
image © designboom

as a collective community of dwellings, the warm, inviting town offered a cacophony of changing colors and sounds
image © aldo lanzini, courtesy of missoni