Gianluigi Ricuperati and Patricia Urquiola in Conversation at Iqos Embassy Turin

Writer Gianluigi Ricuperati and designer Patricia Urquiola held a public conversation on literature and design at the Iqos Embassy in Turin, a concept store housed in a 16th-century palazzo. The event was set against sculptures by Taiwanese architect Arthur Huang. Urquiola, described by Ricuperati as a contralto of contemporary design, discussed her role as art director at Cassina, where she introduced the Gender armchair at Salone del Mobile, challenging the company's male-dominated identity. She recalled Karl Lagerfeld requesting two prototypes for a Vogue France special issue curated by him, where he gifted her an iPhone 7. Urquiola reflected on her childhood in a rainy place, sharing books with her brother Juan, and her obsession with time, citing Vladimir Nabokov's 'Transparent Things' as a mantra. She revealed a project for Cassina's 90th anniversary at Fondazione Feltrinelli during Salone del Mobile, titled 'Cassina 9.0', featuring interviews with Beatriz Colomina and an installation engaging with the building. Ricuperati's new book 'La scomparsa di me' (Feltrinelli) was presented at the event on February 23 at 7:30 PM.