The films are rolling, the shops are open, the food and drinks are being hacked and served; Multiplex is in full swing. Experience the reliably cool eccentricity of Tom Dixon.
You can pretty much count on this quirky Englishman to deliver the goods – not just in terms of product, but also experience.
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This year, Dixon brings up Multiplex – bringing together design, technology, fashion, film and interiors to explore how the future of retail might look, sound, smell, taste and feel.
The space has been design to provide an oasis of comfort and entertainment for the exhausted design aficionado, the tourist and the busy professional juggling appointments under the Milanese sun or escaping from the early spring showers.
Here, visitors are able to explore departments dedicated to technology, home, fashion, beauty, jewellery, as well as a food hall. The space will host an eclectic range of events, installations, pop-ups and interventions.
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Dixon explains: “The high streets are fighting a losing battle against the shift to online shopping, while eye-watering rents for prime locations squeeze traditional stores even further. It is time to radically rethink how these spaces can become relevant again in a digitally-defined future. The Multiplex is a prototype shop for the future, a multiple stage for new ideas.”
And to that end, Dixon has integrated a series of mega cool elements to the space. Here’s just a few things that visitors can expect to find:
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Dixon finally notes that not unlike the future of next-gen retail, Milan is all about the perfect curation of multifaceted ideas and experiences.
“Milan in April turns into the Glastonbury of Design – a huge explosion of ideas, colours, shapes and functions, a massive influx of design obsessives all seeking the latest ideas. This year we have acknowledged the need for a place to stop, to refuel, to catch up on the newest concepts and latest designs and share the full excitement of our latest products. We’ve chosen this iconic 1950’s Galleria and Cinema so that we can fully embrace the delicate balance of commerce, culture and entertainment that makes Milan the best Design Festival of the year.”