Modernist masterpieces weave their enchantment in Milan, courtesy of Anni Albers' artistic prowess
Celebrating Anni Albers' Legacy: A Collaboration of Art and Architecture
The Italian textile house, Dedar, has launched the "Weaving Anni Albers" collection during Milan Design Week 2025, in collaboration with the Josef & Anni Albers Foundation. This collaboration, showcased at the iconic Torre Velasca in Milan, is a tribute to Anni Albers’ weaving legacy and textile innovation [1][2][3][4].
The collection reflects Anni Albers' distinctive style, bridging graphic design, fine art, and traditional crafts. Dedar's contemporary material expertise has been combined with the artistic heritage protected by the foundation, resulting in a unique blend of old and new techniques [1][3][4].
The project has been a highlight of Milan Design Week 2025, with exhibitions and events that merged textile craftsmanship with architectural significance. The Torre Velasca, a modernist architectural landmark in Milan, provided an ideal backdrop for this fusion [1][3][4].
The fabrics in the collection mix various materials including wool, cotton, jute, viscose, acrylic, and polyester. They feature a dense, multi-dimensional weave that artfully blends old and new techniques. Anni Albers' fabrics on display, based on 'pictorial weavings', are powerful and mesmerizing, suitable for use in upholstery, curtains, panels, and textile elements for interior spaces [1][4].
Caterina and Raffaele Fabrizio, Dedar's CEO and creative director, stated, "art gives us courage" and each new research endeavor expands their knowledge. The reinterpretation of Anni Albers' textures, colors, and forms originally intended for hand weaving has tested their textile expertise [2].
The Torre Velasca, designed by BBPR, which includes Ernesto Nathan Rogers, a relative of Richard Rogers, stands as a modernist architectural landmark in Milan. Its characteristic mushroom-like outline offers a 20th-century interpretation of Lombardy region’s medieval castles [3].
Anni Albers, a prominent 20th-century textile artist, is being honored by Dedar and Italian textile company during Milan Design Week 2025. The exhibition featuring her fabrics is free to visit during Milan Design Week 2025 until 13 April [1].
The Tate Modern in London looked back on Anni Albers' career to mark 100 years of the Bauhaus [5]. This collaboration between Dedar and the Josef & Anni Albers Foundation reaffirms the ongoing relevance of Anni Albers’ work in modern textile design and architectural contexts [4].
[1] Milan Design Week 2025: Dedar and Josef & Anni Albers Foundation present Weaving Anni Albers at Torre Velasca. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dedar.com/en/news/milan-design-week-2025-dedar-and-josef-anni-albers-foundation-present-weaving-anni-albers-at-torre-velasca
[2] Dedar launches Weaving Anni Albers collection during Milan Design Week 2025. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dedar.com/en/news/dedar-launches-weaving-anni-albers-collection-during-milan-design-week-2025
[3] Torre Velasca: A Modernist Architectural Landmark in Milan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/torre-velasca-a-modernist-architectural-landmark-in-milan
[4] Weaving Anni Albers: A Collaboration of Art and Architecture. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dedar.com/en/news/weaving-anni-albers-a-collaboration-of-art-and-architecture
[5] Tate Modern Celebrates Anni Albers' Career to Mark 100 Years of the Bauhaus. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/anni-albers-pioneer-textile-art
The "Weaving Anni Albers" collection, launched by Dedar, is not only a tribute to Anni Albers’ weaving legacy but also a testament to how her distinctive style bridges various forms of art, such as graphic design, fine art, and traditional crafts, and becomes part of home and lifestyle, suitable for use in upholstery, curtains, panels, and textile elements for interior design. This collaboration, showcased at the iconic Torre Velasca, merges textile craftsmanship with architectural significance, establishing a modernist architectural landmark as a backdrop for this fusion of art and style.
