Paola Marella: A Passion for Jewels

When you say her name you think of design, in each of its possible aspects. You see her face and you are immediately cast into a virtual reality, made of spaces, objects and furnishings. In fact, we’re talking about design, tout court. Paola Marella’s reputation has this effect, the result of fame created through her years of experience in real estate, then television and in programs that made her the top name in everything about lifestyle and living. Thanks to her background, she is one of the most followed people online and on the road during Salone and Fuorisalone. And because of this, we asked her for a list of what she found interesting over the past week as well as what trends she caught in the city, including stands, showrooms, ateliers and events of all kinds.

But before following Paola Marella on this Milanese frolic, here are some highlights of her passion for jewelry: Vhernier is at the top of the list, thanks to its clean, minimal design then Bernard Delettrez for the originality of his pieces. But also Donatella Pallini and Pomellato are on her wish list.

«In its first twenty years, Fuorisalone has been unforgettable: the vibe in the city is electric, and the good weather helps, a declaration that summer is coming. The most recurring theme? Sustainability, in every area of home design, from simple fabrics to more complex construction, all in the name of the ‘green code’,» explains Paola Marella. «There are also those who chose 100% ‘natural’ locations to host their eco and organic projects: That is what Mario Cucinella did. As one of the forerunners in Italy in this field, he scattered 700 mini-light houses, each different from the next, around the Orto Botanico di Brera to explain the relationship between energy and design and technology and lifestyle. For at least ten years, another ever important presence at Fuorisalone has been that of Brazilian designers. Brazil sees eco-sustainability as something to develop and as a main aim. And Be Brasil is a well-made summary of what was produced yesterday by the masters of modernism as well as by emerging talent. It took place at Spazio Edit, on Via Maroncelli, and was a true journey through tropical creativity, with over sixty brands that showed you can design with bamboo, cotton string, recycled bottled caps, natural paint and coffee filters. To follow this double theme of eco-sustainability and Brazilian manufacture, a must-see was Nilufar Depot on Via Lancetti, where Lina Bo Bardi and many other emerging or established designers were showing their work. Vitra the true production masters of the most attractive events of the weeklong design event, chose a particularly rewarding location – La Pelota on Via Palermo – for this year’s edition. Typecasting is an overview of almost 200 archive objects, catalogued as a reflection of behavior and different personalities. At the Galleria Jannone, Steven Holl, an icon in sustainable building will be exhibiting 3 June. His artistic vein is quite amazing: all of his projects begin as hand-drawn sketches that are then painted with water colors. An unexpected naïve touch for a master of contemporary architecture. Club Unseen, by Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto, for Studiopepe, is a secret club in an old industrial warehouse located just a few steps away from Piazza Tricolore. The attention to detail I saw here was incredible. Moroso, a guarantee on the Milan scene, awakened my pop soul with the use of color. Just like Spazio Orlandi, where this year recycled car bodies and used car parts took the lead. Once again, it’s all about sustainability!»