Giulio Bensasson Brings Rome to adidas Originals' New Via del Babuino Flagship

Giulio Bensasson's project for the opening of adidas Originals' new flagship at via del Babuino 139 in Rome, curated by Sofia di Gravio, treats the flower as a device for tracking change rather than a symbol of beauty alone. Part of the brand's Originals Recognize Originals initiative, the installation gathers 3D-printed flowers shown both as prototypes and finished versions, making the passage from process to completed form visible, alongside prints of burnt or decaying blooms whose alteration undercuts any notion of intact, permanent beauty. Artificial reproduction, traces of combustion and deterioration shift how a subject usually tied to delicacy and vitality is perceived, and the work probes the boundary between beauty and decay, between a form's appearance and its transformation over time. Bensasson's ambiguity finds an echo in Rome, where historical stratification coexists with deterioration and beauty often emerges through marks left by time — an affinity of gaze rather than a literal depiction of the city. During the inauguration, two anonymous writers performed on a wall of white gerberas arranged around the adidas logo, their tags dedicated to Rome and drawn in the brand's light blue and sky blue, setting a gestural, urban dimension against Bensasson's floral repertoire. The flagship hosts The Collection V.2, the brand's latest retail concept, for the first time in Italy.