MILAN — The sort of élan Formafantasma, the Milan- and Rotterdam, Netherlands-based design studio has brought to design, jewelry and fashion brands like Flos, Bitossi, Max Mara and Bulgari has now caught the eye of the world of spirits.
On Wednesday, French Champagne-maker Maison Perrier-Jouët said it tapped the firm to pioneer a project dedicated to biodiversity in the Champagne region. Maison Perrier-Jouët was founded there in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose-Adélaïde Jouët and is known for its well-rounded flavors and floral notes.
In a statement, the firm said Formafantasma’s founders Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi will imprint their vision on an interactive work of architecture for both humans and wildlife. The project, which will be located in the house’s Agusons vineyard in Ambonnay, will be revealed in a preview in September. Formafantasma will also curate the upcoming edition of Perrier-Jouët’s “Banquet of Nature,” a sensorial experience and event, in which Champagne and gastronomy intertwine with nature and design.
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In detail, Perrier-Jouët cuvées will be paired with gastronomic delights, alongside organized talks surrounding interconnectivity. The first “Banquet of Nature” by Perrier-Jouët will be held this fall in the Champagne region, as well as at the Design Miami art fair in December.
“This deep inspiration from nature finds expression in the collaboration with Formafantasma, whose holistic and conceptual approach to design seeks to introduce new approaches in our relationship to the planet and to society,” Perrier-Jouët said, adding that the research-driven studio has been working in partnership with a team of scientists and experts to develop a multidisciplinary initiative, “a long-term undertaking projected toward a better future in the form of an architectural installation for biodiversity.”
A decade ago, Maison Perrier-Jouët began to tackle minimizing its production’s environmental impact and in 2021, it launched an experimental regenerative viticulture program, which now extends to more than 40 percent of its vineyard.
Formafantasma was founded in 2009 as a research-based design studio investigating the ecological, historical, political and social forces shaping design. Its reputation for facilitating a deeper understanding of both the natural and built environments has echoed beyond the realms of the design sector.
Formafantasma was the creative firm behind all three editions of Prada Frames, a symposium backed by Prada to explore the relationship between the natural environment and design. In a move to incorporate contemporary style into its orbit and attract new generational consumers, historic Venetian fabric firm Rubelli officially tapped Formafantasma as its creative director in 2023.
