With delicate accuracy and unwavering experimentation, Loro Piana showcases Studies, Chapter I: On the Plaid at Cortile della Seta during Milan Design Week, illuminating the cultural significance that dates plaids back to the mid-1980s as one of the House’s first finished products. Substantiated by focused case studies, this curated series reflects the philosophies of the House, and represents the evolving experimentation of plaid and interior design. 

The scenography in the first chapter brings visitors to a series of twenty-four plaids which are individualized through different patterns, constructions, and finishes. Focused on a contemporary design, archival graphic elements and symbols appear within the series, assorted by different colors, patterns, and grain. Crafted from raw materials of fibre and yarn, these pieces collectively form an index of various technical approaches and methods, charting the range of craft formed into a single object.

Varying techniques include embroidery, appliqué, handloom weaving, needle punching, patchwork, and screen printing, which hold unique rhythms and interpretations through Loro Piano. The plaids are crafted from the Maison’s Excellences, Vicuña, Baby Cashmere, Cashmere, The Gift of Kings®, Loro Piana Royal Lightness®, including linen and innovative fabrics such as Wish® wool and Pecora Nera® wool. 

Prevailing as a symbol of Italian excellence, or even, savoir-faire, Loro Piana portrays plaid as a “synthesis of materials, techniques and territories, making visible a culture of excellence rooted in fibre, craft and nature”. Mirrored through this installation, each plaid is ingrained with individual mastery and meticulousness, reflecting courage and originality in artisanship.