Conceptualized by Nordstrom’s VP of Creative Projects, Olivia Kim, the "Memphis Milano" pop-up will debut an edited collection of Memphis Milano’s original pieces in the Seattle Nordstrom locale. Works from Ettore Sottsass, Nathalie du Pasquier and Michele De Lucchi will appear along with goods by contemporary designers and brands inspired by the design movement.
“We are excited to bring the colorful world of Memphis Milano to life at our flagship in Downtown Seattle. We strive to inspire and engage our customers in everything that we do. The hope is that this exhibition will open a sense of discovery, showing that the retail experience doesn’t always have to feel so transactional,” says Kim. “Whether you are a collector of Memphis or learning about the movement for the first time, we want to make art and design accessible to all in a fun and inviting environment.”
Kim's Memphis-geared work for Nordstrom began with her acquisition of Sottsass Ultrafragola mirrors and Peter Shire Bel Air Chairs for SPACE—a shop featuring collections from Rei Kawakubo, Simone Rocha, JW Anderson, Junya Watanabe, and others. Kim worked with Keith Johnson, the top Memphis design dealer, to acquire notable pieces spanning tables, chairs and lamps, scarves and ceramics. The brands featured in the pop-up, which opens today and runs through October, include Areaware, Paper Chase Press, Phaidon, Cofield, Volta, Wary Meyers, StudioSophiaSophia and Bash, among others.
Each piece will be unveiled in the exhibition and available for purchase in the pop-up shop, which itself is decorated in a "bold, geometric aesthetic," according to Nordstrom.
The exhibit is located at Nordstrom Downtown Seattle, 500 Pine Street, Seattle. All the pieces will be displayed in an exhibition style and made available for purchase in the uniquely designed shop which pays homage to the Memphis Milano movement through its bold, geometric aesthetic.
