MDW 2023 | KOSTADINOV TAKAHAMA @ Flash Art HQ

Milan Design Week 2023

April 19 – 20 – 21, from 12 pm to 6 pm

The heart of the collaboration is centered around the reissue of the Naeko ceiling lamp, now a part of Paradisoterrestre catalogue. Designed by Kazuhide Takahama for the Bolognese entrepreneur Dino Gavina (1922-2007) in 1984, the lamp takes its name from the architect’s wife, Naeko. Working from Takahama’s original preparatory sketches, Kostadinov parses it through his distinct lens and reinterprets the possibilities the object allows. Continuing in the tradition of its originator, Kostadinov pulls inspiration from his future wife Deanna Fanning, and the patterns used in Deanna’s, and her sister and design partner Laura’s, graduate collection.

Rounding out the collaboration are the Naeko sofa and the Naeko armchair, part of Paradisoterrestre catalogue since 2017. The sofa is the first design object Takahama created for Gavina. The pair met in 1957 when Takahama was in Italy to mount the Japanese Pavilion at XI Triennale di Milano. A lifelong friendship, and partnership, ensued between the two men. This first sofa took the form of a daybed, complete with a reclining backrest, and was produced in metal by Gavina SPA. It was so successful that a second wooden version with a fixed backrest was created in 1958. This latest version was also accompanied by the Naeko armchair. Once again Kostadinov references Deanna and Laura’s history as he covers the objects in fabrics, mirroring the identical patterns (vibrant checks and stripes) used by the sister’s in their graduate collection. 

Naeko sofa by Kazuhide Takahama Special Edition Kiko Kostadinov

Naeko armchair by Kazuhide Takahama Special Edition Kiko Kostadinov

Kostadinov’s signature aesthetic is a perfect complement to the rigorous structures typical of Takahama’s work. The resulting objects honor the history of the Japanese architect’s work whilst placing them directly into this new century, equally timeless and at once contemporary. This landmark collaboration will be unveiled during Milan Design Week 2023, in the headquarters of Flash Art, a leading art magazine and publishing house, and will sit alongside the context of a broader presentation of Kiko Kostadinov’s creative world.

KIKO KOSTADINOV 

Kiko Kostadinov is the menswear designer behind his acclaimed eponymous label. Presenting seasonally at Paris Fashion Week, his work is focused on innovative pattern cutting, attention to detail, and intricate garment construction that aims to challenge contemporary menswear aesthetics. In addition to his work in the field of fashion, Kostadinov has had solo exhibitions at Jeffrey Stark, New York (2022); Morán Morán, Los Angeles (2019); and has collaborated with vanillajellaba, curated by Hans-Ulrich Obrist, at the Serpentine Pavilion, London, UK (2019).