What made these designers stand out for this project in particular? SG: They are all humble artists who paint and shape Sicilian carretto (carts) every day. It is their work, what they love to do. We have worked with them in the past, where we commissioned them to paint on our bags and shoes. Then we proposed the idea of painting on a Smeg fridge and they loved the idea. DD: It’s really impressive to see them at work: their passion, their technique and the ease with which they paint. We are not speaking of international and famous artists, but about people who work inside their home, in their little studio – something very local, therefore full of tradition and passion.
Out of all of Smeg’s appliances, why did you decide to use the fridge as a creative outlet for these designers? SG and DD: The refrigerator is the iconic product of Smeg. It’s a symbol of today’s design. The carretto is rooted in ancient traditions of Sicily. The island is deeply embedded into our souls and the source of our inspiration. A lot of the designs are inspired by Italian history and heritage.
Can you elaborate on the thoughts and inspirations behind each of the designs? DD: Carretto aesthetic has a real Sicilian theme, it tells the history and traditions of this region. Each refrigertor features lemons, the trinacria (triangle) symbol, cart wheels, medieval knights and battle scenes – all distinctive elements of the poetic marionette theatre and the Sicilian carretto. SG: We are fascinated by the stories of medieval knights on carousel horses, fighting for their ladies. It’s so romantic.
Smeg fridges become the expression of the Dolce & Gabbana DNA
Dolce & Gabbana and SMEG have produced 100 limited-edition fridges, all hand-painted by Sicilian artists. Wanted spoke to Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce
Can you give us a background on why Dolce&Gabbana decided to collaborate with Smeg on this project? Stefano Gabbana: Dolce & Gabbana and Smeg are two companies that belong to two different creative sectors but are united by strong values and a tradition of “Made in Italy” excellence. The respect for tradition and our creativity allows us to combine eras, different specialities and sensibilities.
Domenico Dolce: The collaboration with Smeg started in a very natural way: after we met and discovered that we had many values in common, we decided to do something together. The result is 100 exclusive, one-of-a-kind fridges that combine the quality and technology of Smeg with Dolce & Gabbana’s
creativity and masterful artisan workmanship.
Tell us about the designers you are collaborating with; who are they and where are they from? DD: The designers are all Sicilian artists with long-standing manufacturing experience. SG: They are from different parts of Sicily: Caltanissetta, Catania and Ragusa.
What made these designers stand out for this project in particular? SG: They are all humble artists who paint and shape Sicilian carretto (carts) every day. It is their work, what they love to do. We have worked with them in the past, where we commissioned them to paint on our bags and shoes. Then we proposed the idea of painting on a Smeg fridge and they loved the idea. DD: It’s really impressive to see them at work: their passion, their technique and the ease with which they paint. We are not speaking of international and famous artists, but about people who work inside their home, in their little studio – something very local, therefore full of tradition and passion.
Out of all of Smeg’s appliances, why did you decide to use the fridge as a creative outlet for these designers? SG and DD: The refrigerator is the iconic product of Smeg. It’s a symbol of today’s design. The carretto is rooted in ancient traditions of Sicily. The island is deeply embedded into our souls and the source of our inspiration. A lot of the designs are inspired by Italian history and heritage.
Can you elaborate on the thoughts and inspirations behind each of the designs? DD: Carretto aesthetic has a real Sicilian theme, it tells the history and traditions of this region. Each refrigertor features lemons, the trinacria (triangle) symbol, cart wheels, medieval knights and battle scenes – all distinctive elements of the poetic marionette theatre and the Sicilian carretto. SG: We are fascinated by the stories of medieval knights on carousel horses, fighting for their ladies. It’s so romantic.
Was the design process very structured or were the contributing artists given frrein? DD: Free rein! All of the artists were free to paint whatever they wanted. SG: They worked in total freedom of creativity. They translated the poetry of carretto as they wished to, based on their imagination.
Was it important for both the D&G and Smeg design aesthetic to be considered in this project? If so, how did the designers find a balance? SG: The Smeg fridge became the canvas for the painter … and the creativity of every single fridge is the expression of the Dolce & Gabbana DNA. D&G stands for creativity, for tradition, for high quality and for Italy. This is what this project portrays. Would you consider manufacturing more if the demand was high? DD: Who knows … we can’t predict the future!
What has the feedback from consumers been like? SG: We have been receiving positive feedback from the moment I posted a picture of the fridge on Instagram – people seem to be loving them! DD: People understand that these 100 exclusive refrigerators are the result of innovation and a meticulous
eye for detail: we are very happy about that. What makes these limited-edition fridges collectable items? SG: They are like 100 different pieces of art! I think they are incredible!