Art Nouveau in the 21st Century

Written by: Constanza Coscia

It is an overwhelming task, that of going to Salone Mobile. The whole concept of Design Week is one that is so tiring that even just thinking of all the things there are to do and see can tire one to eternity. This overwhelming amount of exhibitions drive the different presenters onto a frenzy- every single one of them is competing for every bit of your attention. So how is it that they manage to grab you and drive you into their particular space? This is what few exhibitioners do just right. Cavalli Home is one of those few brands that manage to completely captivate one’s attention through their interesting and conceptual exhibitions.

There is a certain aesthetic that follows Cavalli Home this year, one that certainly catches one’s attention onto their exhibition. Already from the entrance you can see a cohesive theme- that of the jungle and animals of the jungle. From the very first breath one took into the exhibition, one could feel the theme. Every sofa, every carpet, every table: there wasn’t a single thing that did not fit the theme. This is what reminded me of the art nouveau movement that was alive from 1894 until the early 1920s in Italy. Henry Van de Velde brought to life the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk: an interior in a home was almost like a work of art, everything had to be coordinated and everything had to fit. Henry Van de Velde made sure that everything had a place and everything went together; he even went as far as designing clothes and jewelry for his clients so they would fit into their homes as well. Cavalli hit on this theme heavily, there wasn’t a single item there that did not belong to this idea of the jungle, animals, or nature in general. From the plates, that had an animal print and were being supported by a snake, to the swivel armchair with a banana leaf print, there wasn’t a single item that did not belong to the theme.

Of course besides being innovative, there are other things a brand has to do in order to stand out among other exhibitioners. Quite ironically, this can mean following the popular trends carefully and through innovative matters. Among other Salone exhibitions, one could see that there are quite a few trends popping up in every single exhibition. One of these is lacquered wood- whether it be on tables, chairs, or other types of furniture, lacquered wood was everywhere. Cavalli wasn’t missing out- their swivel armchair with the banana leaf print had a base in lacquered black wood, and other tables (such as the one presented in the “dining room”) were lacquered wood as well. Another trend that seemed to be popping up everywhere was that of “segmented” patterns on tables. The dining tables in Cavalli seemed to have a pattern that resembled a sort of “put-together” look. This pattern, and the idea of segments, was everywhere as well. This following of trends can be considered almost a persuasive value in the Cavalli exhibition, as the idea of keeping up with diverse ideas and trends does appeal to that of attracting people. This is due to the fact that although people want something innovative, they also kind of want to follow what everyone else is doing. Cavalli achieves this perfectly: they present the trends in a new and creative way. Instead of just doing a lacquered wood table, as many other exhibitioners did, they presented it in a new way and instead used lacquered wood as a base for a chair. The same goes for the segmented pattern found on many tables. Although they did follow that trend, they did do it in their own way, and always appealing to their jungle theme. One of the popping details from their exhibition was a vibrant green color that was on many of the pieces presented. Their dining table was segmented by this green color, showing Cavalli’s commitment to their theme and yet their willingness to also keep up with what’s popular.

Cavalli is at that point in that they are a known luxury brand. Their place in the design market has evolved over time, of course starting as a fashion brand and then later on adding the subsequent Home line, among others. This line that was presented in the Salone Mobile is one of contemporary elegance and sophisticated glamour, as the website GlobeStyles states. Cavalli’s place in society is one of luxury. They are a high class brand that appeals to those who are attracted by innovation and, at the same time, sensuality and elegance. This collection is the pinnacle of the Cavalli philosophy: they present their jungle theme in a unique way and continue to innovate with pieces like the Key West Swivel Armchair, the Tahiti Chaise Lounge, and the Acapulco Modular Bookcase. This lands them a special place in luxury design.

Not only that, but the emotions that the exhibitions displays are just as strong as well. One feels particularly attracted to the Cavalli exhibition because of its roots in the jungle. Although a few might not like how the ideas were executed, one cannot deny the craftsmanship and the detail work in the collection of this new line. From the walls that have a scattered animal print, to the banana leaf pattern found in many pieces, to the oyster-looking table and carpet; the collection offers an emotional pull towards the place were all humans, in theory, come from: the jungle. Especially for me, as a person who comes from a tropical area, this pull was incredibly interesting. I found myself attracted to the different patterns and intrigued by the way Cavalli put everything together, again appealing to the Gesamtkunstwerk from the art nouveau period.

Overall, Cavalli made an excellent exhibition, that with no doubt attracted many possible costumers. They included wonderful, new, innovative pieces to their collection that not only kept true to who they were but also kept up with the emerging trends of 2018. Cavalli made an excellent job of balancing out the new and innovative with something more traditional and rough, like the jungle. In fact, they took something that is normally considered rough and dangerous (the jungle), and instead twisted it to look fresh, modern, elegant, and sensual. Cavalli presented an object for everyone in this exhibition, from mugs, to plates, to bed sheets, to tables, and armchairs. Their ability to make everything go together and have a certain theme with no doubt captivated the attention of many costumers, and will probably continue to do so for a long time.