Exploring Bamboo’s Timeless Legacy Through Design
As part of Fuorisalone during Milan Design Week 2025, Gucci presents Gucci | Bamboo Encounters, a dynamic exhibition delving into the enduring influence of bamboo in the brand’s design history and its broader cultural resonance. The show highlights how bamboo—once a revolutionary material for Gucci—continues to spark contemporary creativity across disciplines.
Set against the historic backdrop of the Chiostri di San Simpliciano, a 16th-century cloister in Milan, the exhibition was conceived and curated by 2050+, the interdisciplinary studio led by Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli.
Reimagining Bamboo Through Global Perspectives
Gucci | Bamboo Encounters invites an international roster of designers to reinterpret bamboo in bold and innovative ways, resulting in a diverse array of artistic and functional objects:
- Dima Srouji (Palestine) – Hybrid Exhalations: A striking fusion of bamboo baskets with delicate hand-blown glass, creating objects that merge organic craft with fragility and transparency.
- Kite Club (Netherlands) – Thank You, Bamboo: A whimsical series of kites made from bamboo and high-tech materials, blending nostalgia and modern engineering.
- Sisan Lee (South Korea) – Engraved: A series of aluminium objects bearing the etched textures of bamboo using traditional intaglio printmaking methods.
- Anton Alvarez (Sweden-Chile) – 1802251226: A sculptural piece inspired by bamboo’s natural forms, celebrating its inherent architectural quality.
- The Back Studio (India-Italy) – Bamboo Assemblage n.1: A light installation by Eugenio Rossi and Yaazd Contractor that abstracts bamboo into a poetic lighting structure.
- Laurids Gallée (Austria) – Scaffolding: A reinterpretation of bamboo through resin design pieces, reflecting structural logic and aesthetic rhythm.
- Nathalie Du Pasquier (France) – Passavento: An art piece that recontextualizes traditional bamboo panels using contemporary silk fabrics, merging Eastern tradition with modern textile design.
A Dialogue Between Past and Present
The exhibition reflects on Gucci’s innovative use of bamboo since the mid-1940s, particularly through the iconic Gucci Bamboo 1947 handbag, which transformed the material into a symbol of resilience and refinement. From functional necessity to luxury statement, bamboo has played a pivotal role in shaping the brand’s identity.
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“Throughout Gucci’s history, the material has traced a unique path, adopting many roles and meanings to inspire the intertwined dimensions of art, culture, and design,” stated Gucci.
By revisiting bamboo’s legacy and its renewed significance today, the exhibition offers a fresh lens on how traditional materials can bridge eras, geographies, and aesthetics.
Talks and Public Programs
From 8 to 10 April 2025, Gucci and 2050+ will host a series of public talks at the exhibition space, featuring designers, curators, and industry experts, offering deeper insight into the creative processes behind the works.
