Elvis Presley inspired this furniture collection – Wallpaper*

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Elvis Presley is the inspiration behind ‘The King’, Atelier Biagetti’s latest furniture collection, mixing design, art and craft
Alberto Biagetti and Laura Baldassari of Atelier Biagetti never shy away from playing with pop culture and its icons throughout their collections. After exploring the deeper meaning of our society’s obsession with bodybuilding, money and cats (see their Pet Therapy project of 2022), the Milanese duo presents ‘The King’, a furniture collection and installation that pays tribute to Elvis Presley, on show as part of Milan Design Week 2023. Laura Baldassari and Alberto Biagetti
Design, art and craft merge in the collection (on display for the week at the studio, Piazza Arcole 4), which reflects on the quest for immortality. Presley’s legendary status is the starting point for a deeper pondering of the power of superstitions and beliefs, and their role in cementing a myth’s reputation in our collective minds. 
For ‘The King’, the design studio is clad in red and transformed into the imaginary home of a legend, where traditional domestic spaces become a grand stage. The idea, reads a note from the studio, is to represent the approach to the home of a generation that is now used to sharing even the most private moments. The collection includes a large modular sofa, conceived as a platform and ideally adapting to both domestic and public spaces, a sculptural object (a hybrid furniture piece that can be a table or seat) shaped as stacked guitar cases and made in collaboration with Ravenna’s mosaic academy, and other celebratory pieces that include giant cakes illuminated by palm trees and a Christmas tree-like sculpture.
As part of the experience, Baldassari (who is an opera singer as well as a designer and artist) will sing a series of iconic tunes that start with 1785 Plaisir d’Amour by German composer Martini, and ends on Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love, from 1961.
‘“The King” is a reflection on the desire to be loved forever, on the idea of a myth that leads to the creation of a legend, an enormous power capable of influencing and activating visions; an apparently useless relic for many becomes a sacred object for some,’ says Biagetti. ‘Elvis Presley is the pivotal figure in our story about a spectacular house where everything is questioned to subvert the traditional view of private space, which becomes a stage.’
‘The King’ by Atelier Biagetti is on view until 23 April 2023
Atelier Biagetti
Piazza Arcole 4
Milan
atelierbiagetti.com (opens in new tab)Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
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