Cristina Celestino, Serena Confalonieri and Elena Salmistraro : Ambrosiana Collection

1523640_1425531911036003_8282054299832459087_oAmbrosiana is a tribute to the city known as the most important center for Italian design, Milano. Resulting from the collaboration of three designers – Cristina Celestino, Serena Confalonieri and Elena Salmistraro – Ambrosiana rises from the three women’s intimate relationship and emotional bond with the city of Milano.

We formed a shape from its mood using our own aeshtetic languages. The design processes we used are various: from the quotations of styles to the use of traditional materials, from the distortion of common shapes through the assignment of new functions to the image of a cold and foggy morning.

A beautiful collection of objects marked with great femininity, elegance and delicacy.

 

Santissimi iron and stained glass trays by Serena ConfalonieriSantissimi iron and stained glass trays by Serena Confalonieri – This is a small collection made by three trays built with iron and stained glass, the old tecnique used to create the big decorated windows in the cathedrals, presented here with a new contemporary taste: the materials are inspired by the windows of the Duomo di Milano but the graphic and the colours are clearly inspired by a modern architecture: San Francesco Church by Gio Ponti.

Santissimi iron and stained glass trays by Serena Confalonieri

Santissimi iron and stained glass trays by Serena Confalonieri
Santissimi iron and stained glass trays by Serena Confalonieri
Miuccia ceramic vases by Cristina Celestino
Miuccia ceramic vases by Cristina Celestino

Miuccia ceramic vases by Cristina Celestino

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The collection is a tribute to Milan as one of the world’s most important fashion capitals and a tribute to the feminine creativity as well. Volumes are inspired to the silhouette of female figurines. Vases and pitchers are tight in the waist by a graphic black band, staging ideally busts from different shapes paired with pleated skirts. The project is declined in glazed pottery and hand-blown borosilicate glass.

Meneghine borosilicate glass vases by Elena Salmistraro
Meneghine borosilicate glass vases by Elena Salmistraro

Meneghine borosilicate glass vases by Elena Salmistraro Meneghine borosilicate glass vases by Elena SalmistraroMeneghine are a homage to a symbol of Milano: the 135 “guglie” (spires) at the top of the city cathedral (Duomo). They are decorative elements made by Candoglia marble, a white and pale pink shaded stone. These spires are gothic masterpieces that create a beautiful set for the city views from the top of its main building. They have been redesigned and recreated using borosilicate glass (transparent and glazed glass) and turned into delicate and light vases.

Cattedrale set of iron containers by Serena Confalonieri

Cattedrale set of iron containers by Serena Confalonieri
Cattedrale set of iron containers by Serena Confalonieri

 

Five concentric containers create a vibrant visual effect made by the overlapping of five different decorative textures: they are inspired from the architectonical element of the Duomo facade, but they also remind us of the sense of intimacy and the shadows we can find in churches and confessionals interiors.

Vedovelle borosilicate glass bottles by Elena Salmistraro
Vedovelle borosilicate glass bottles by Elena Salmistraro

Vedovelle borosilicate glass bottle by Elena Salmistraro

Milano is a city that has been very close to the water element, but today there aren’t many visible proofs of it and very few people remember how it was. Vedovella is the typical dark green milanese public fountain, made in cast iron and placed in every corner of the city: it inherited its name from the never-ending flow of the water, like a widow’s crying (in fact Vedovella means “little widow”). This is one of the symbols that reminds us of the close relationship between Milano and the water. These Vedovelle are redesigned and scaled, made in borosilicate glass and turned into 1 L bottles.

Velasca set of glasses by Cristina Celestino
Velasca set of glasses by Cristina Celestino

 

Velasca set of glasses by Cristina Celestino

The Milanese atmosphere of autumn mornings with the tower veiled by mist inspired the profile and the surface treatment of the set Velasca. The volumes are characterized by a flare at the top that makes it easy to grip and wants to be a reference to the volume of the Velasca tower; recall that becomes more evident in the profile of the outer container. A particular sandblasting is applied on the glass: this filter mat disappears unexpectedly in contact with liquids. The set ‘consists of 4 glasses, a cup and a bowl of mouth-blown borosilicate glass. The sandblasted glasses fit over each other in the order vodka, wine, water, cognac. All this is inserted into a transparent container with lid, a treasure chest of balanced composition of opacity and transparencies.

Obei Obei mirrors by Cristina Celestino
Obei Obei mirrors by Cristina Celestino

Obei Obei mirrors by Cristina Celestino

Obei Obei is a collection of wall mirrors with shapes inspired by window frames and details of iconic buildings in Milan designed by Gio Ponti, Luigi Caccia Dominioni, BBPR and other great italian architects. The structure of the mirrors is made of different texturized glasses that normally were used for domestic doors and entrance hall doors from 20’s till 50’s. On this base are stucked and arranged colored mirrors that, as photographic filters, create a gentle color while reflecting. All the edges are hand bevelled by qualified craftsmen.

Obei Obei mirrors by Cristina CelestinoCristina Celestino, Serena Confalonieri and Elena Salmistraro : Ambrosiana Collection - Flodeau.comThanks to the collaboration of Spazio 900 design shop, Ambrosiana was exhibited during Milan Design Week 2014 together with unique masterpieces created by important designers who lived and worked in Milano.

Photos © Annacarla Granata

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