This year, Serapian celebrates the opening of a flagship store in Japan’s capital. The space is designed to feel like an Italian villa in the heart of Ginza, created by Milanese artisans who have painted the walls and introduced mosaics and ceramics. There is a tasteful combination of contemporary and classic décor, paired in a way that is typical of Milan, which has always embraced the modern alongside the historical.
The connection between the two cities is explored during Milan fashion week at the presentation of Serapian’s Autumn/Winter collection at Villa Mozart.
Chiso, the oldest kimono-maker in Japan (established 1555 in Kyoto) has specially created three designs featuring “Oneiric Flowers” for this collection, fantastical blooms born from an imaginative marriage of Italian and Japanese flora. The adorn silk that is used as linings inside bags and a foulard on the outsides. A master painter from Chiso will be present showcasing his art live. This silk will be used to make a limited-edition collection of bags for the new Tokyo store – these designs will also be available as made-to-order commissions for customers elsewhere in the world.
Villa Mozart itself, a remarkable example of the Art Deco style that stretched from Europe to the East around a century ago, is transformed through the eyes of Satoshi Kawamoto. Born and raised in Japan, the artist dedicates his life to working with greenery and flowers across a wide range of genres. Now based in Milan, Kawamoto has taken the Villa’s garden as inspiration to create floral and foliage-based installations of Italian and Japanese plants and flowers within the Villa that bring the garden into the interior.
The authentic Milanese style is also strongly represented in the Villa through the participation of Rossana Orlandi, who displays contemporary design pieces from her gallery in the space that are inspired by Japan. Furthermore, a Milanese architecture and design studio that specialises in working with recycled and reusable cardboard has made origami-inspired geometric display plinths to showcase the new collection of bags, many painted in a way that echoes the dégradé colouration of the Mosaico pieces.
As well as the special bespoke creations incorporating silk, Serapian introduces a number of new pieces for Autumn/Winter 2024. A highlight is the Anì Bag, named after the wife of the founder’s son: an updated mini version of a bauletto travel bag that is part of the Maison’s archive. Subtle, elegant and folded at the sides to give a refined structure, like all Serapian bags the Anì is also eminently practical, perfect for those who are always on the go.
Other innovations include new dégradé Mosaico tones across different styes of bags, and a development of the Mosaico technique to incorporate a mix of materials: nappa and suede, nappa and exotic skins, and nappa and precious Italian wool.
A marriage of handcraft and design, the Serapian bags for Autumn/Winter 2024 possess a distinctive appearance that does not rely on overt branding or logos. A Serapian on your arm is a quiet statement of sophisticated taste and says simply, “If you know, you know”.
