MILAN — When in Venice. Fashion brand Jil Sander indulged in the history-laden world of Venetian glass for the opening of its brand new store in Venice’s Piazza San Marco. On Tuesday, it announced that it unveiled a special collection of Murano glass vases for the new location, situated steps away from the ancient seat of the Venetian Republic, Palazzo Ducale, which is also known as the Doge’s Palace.
For the collection named Stone, it teamed up with design powerhouse Formafantasma, the Milan and Rotterdam, Netherlands-based design studio founded by Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi. Formafantasma designed Stone, while the glass creations were blown and handcrafted by Murano-based Venini’s artisans. Formafantasma, who most recently designed the bottles for Jil Sander‘s Olfactory Series 1 Collection of fragrances, was also appointed for the interior design of the store. The boutique officially opened May. 9 and took place concurrently with the opening of the Venice Architecture Biennale, which runs until Nov. 23.
The Stone collection for Jil Sander was designed by Formafantasma and made by Venini’s artisans.
Courtesy of Venini Archives
The collection consists of four poetic yet contemporary shapes Stone 01, Stone 02, Stone 03 and Stone 04 — each made in a limited edition of nine pieces and distinct for their deliberate imperfections, explained Venini’s president Silvia Damiani.
“Glass is a living, unpredictable material that only responds to those who know how to listen to it. It is thanks to the sensitivity and experience of our master glassmakers that we are able to transform uncertainty into art,” Damiani said. Venini was founded in 1921 by Paolo Venini, a Milanese lawyer, and Giacomo Cappellin, a Venetian antiques dealer. It was taken over by the Damiani Group known for its eponymous jewelry brand in 2016.
Jil Sander said Formafantasma worked closely with Venini’s artisans to shape the nuances of each piece.
“These subtle differences reflect presence and attention, allowing the vases to result into their final shape. This approach stands in contrast to industrial production, which prioritizes uniformity. Craft invites unpredictability and rewards curiosity,” the brand said.
Each product features the sandblasted Jil Sander logo and the engraved Venini and Formafantasma signatures. The collection is exclusively available at the Jil Sander store in Venice.
The new Jil Sander store in Venice is located in Piazza San Marco 78.
Courtesy of Jil Sander