(en) / The white poplar tree is a curious organism. Found
across the river plains and temperate landscapes of Europe
and western Asia, its pale trunk — wrapped in soft white bark
dusted with chalky powder — rises slender and luminous from
the earth beneath a restless canopy of shimmering, silvery
leaves. Seen from a distance, poplar stands can appear endless:
a tide of pale trunks rising against the horizon. Each tree seems
solitary, yet many of these groves are not forests of individual
plants but living colonies, all sprung from a single ancient root
— the youngest shoots bound to the oldest through an unseen
network beneath the soil.
It is this notion of heredity — of connection across
generations — that defines Carpanese’s vision for 2026. At its
heart lies the creative DNA first established at the company’s
founding: a vision of craftsmanship and enduring elegance that
has continued to shape it ever since. Yet as each generation gives
way to the next, new shoots rise from the same ground: always
connected to that original root, yet invigorated by new voices
and perspectives. Designers Cristina Celestino and Sebastian
Herkner present their designs for the brand for the first time,
bringing fresh interpretations to Carpanese’s heritage.
The fil rouge running through this weaving of ideas
and generations is the art of composition. It requires a careful
hand to marry the traditions of the past with the evolving ideals
of the present and future. In many ways, it reflects the very
essence of Italian design itself: a dialogue between heritage and
innovation, where history is carried forward through artful
reinvention. New colours, new materials and new finishes
expand Carpanese’s design language, opening the brand to new
expressions while remaining firmly rooted in the values that
have defined it from the beginning.
For this reason, the collection is brought to life in two
locations that embody the preservation of history and culture.
In Villa Borsani, where the legacy of the great Italian designer
Osvaldo Borsani is kept alive by the third generation of his
family. And in the Archive of the Ospedale Maggiore, Policlinico
of Milan, where the city’s collective memory is carefully
preserved for the future. Together, these places remind us that
design, like the poplar grove, moves forward while remaining
deeply rooted in what came before.
— Laura May Todd
Taking Root
6 /7
Composing —
