“After a short but widely scrutinized tenure as creative director at Gucci — where his restrained aesthetic struggled to gain commercial traction during a broader downturn in the luxury sector — he has been moving across the worlds of design and art with new projects at a more deliberate pace.”

““I was there 19 months,” he said of Gucci, “but I’ve worked in fashion for 23 years.””

“His departure, announced by the house in February 2025, came abruptly, and a surprise to many.”

“Since leaving Gucci, he’s kept busy, from partnering up with a Milan-based initiative during Pride Month to present the film “Il Capitone” by Neapolitan director Camilla Salvatore, to creating “Napoli Infinita,” a book celebrating his hometown, Naples, through the works of more than 35 contemporary artists.”

“Now, during Milan Design Week, he is curating “INSIEME,” an exhibition bringing together twelve Italian artisanal companies, from glassmakers and ceramicists to weavers and stonecutters, to make visible what usually goes unseen: the process of making things.”

“Set within the former changing rooms of Piscina Cozzi, a historic indoor public swimming pool in Milan, “INSIEME” — meaning “together” in Italian — aims to do just that.”

“Participants range from storied names such as Venini, Rubelli and Henraux to lesser-known ventures like Bottega Vazzoler and Artieri 1895, alongside Bonacina, Fornace Brioni, Glas Italia, De Castelli, Solimene, Fratelli Levaggi and Amini.”

“Among those who helped shape the curation were design duo Tipstudio, which oversaw the exhibition design; French artist JR, who contributed a site-specific installation magnifying the artisans’ faces across the building’s façade; and Vanity Fair Italia, which produced the show.”