Design

Milan Design Week 2025: Gucci Elevates Bamboo to High Art

As part of the highly anticipated Fuorisalone events in Milan, Gucci has launched a captivating exhibition inviting international artists and designers to reinterpret bamboo through their creative lenses.

Por: Rubén Carrillo April 12, 2025

the exhibition is set within the historic 16th-century Chiostri di San Simpliciano / Photo Gucci

Titled Gucci | Bamboo Encounters, the exhibition is set within the historic 16th-century Chiostri di San Simpliciano, offering an immersive journey into the multifaceted role bamboo has played throughout the brand’s evolution.

A Fusion of Nature and Innovation

Curated and designed by the visionary team at 2050+, led by Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, this exhibition serves as a tribute to the brand’s deep-rooted relationship with bamboo.

Since the 1940s, Gucci bamboo has transcended its functional beginnings—most notably as a handbag handle—to become a lasting symbol of craftsmanship, adaptability, and elegance.

The exhibition highlights this journey by inviting international artists and designers to reinterpret bamboo through their creative lenses.

Among the standout works is Thank You, Bamboo, a poetic collection of lightweight kites made by the Dutch design collective Kite Club, combining traditional bamboo with modern materials to reflect the contrast between fragility and resilience.

Korean designer Sisan Lee introduces Engraved, a set of aluminum artifacts etched with bamboo patterns through a precise intaglio technique.

Global Perspectives on Bamboo as a Medium

The installations go far beyond simple aesthetics—they’re immersive, symbolic, and deeply rooted in each artist’s cultural narrative.

Swedish-Chilean sculptor Anton Alvarez presents 1802251226, a fluid, organically shaped sculpture that echoes the natural curvature of bamboo.

Meanwhile, Palestinian architect Dima Srouji merges craft and glasswork with her collection titled Hybrid Exhalations, where hand-blown glass elements interact with the structure of bamboo baskets to blur the line between traditional utility and contemporary art.

The Back Studio, led by design duo Eugenio Rossi and Yaazd Contractor, plays with light and shadow in their piece Bamboo Assemblage n.1, a light installation that mimics the movement and texture of the plant.

Austrian designer Laurids Gallée offers his reinterpretation through Scaffolding, a series of resin pieces inspired by bamboo’s scaffolding-like structure.

Lastly, French artist Nathalie Du Pasquier transforms traditional bamboo panels in her work Passavento by overlaying them with vibrant, modern silk textiles, creating a juxtaposition between the familiar and the avant-garde.

The Legacy of Gucci Bamboo

Bamboo entered the Gucci universe during the 1940s when material shortages led to innovation.

This challenge birthed the Gucci Bamboo 1947, a now-iconic handbag that has come to embody both timeless design and bold reinvention.

What began as a practical solution quickly evolved into one of the fashion house’s most treasured signatures.

In its own words, Gucci describes bamboo as more than a design material—it’s a “cultural link,” connecting disciplines like fashion, art, and architecture.

Through this exhibition, Gucci bamboo is celebrated not just as a relic of the past, but as a living, evolving symbol of creativity and sustainability.

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Una publicación compartida por GUCCI (@gucci)

Key Questions About Gucci Bamboo Encounters

What is the central theme of Gucci’s Fuorisalone exhibition? It explores the symbolic and creative legacy of Gucci bamboo through the lens of international designers.
Where is the exhibition being held? At the Chiostri di San Simpliciano, a historic cloister in Milan.
Who curated the exhibition? The show was curated by the design agency 2050+, led by Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli.
What makes the Gucci Bamboo 1947 handbag so iconic? It introduced bamboo handles during a time of material scarcity, becoming a hallmark of innovation and luxury.