19 Mar Pop-Up SOTA MOTELSALIERI: A Groundbreaking Collaboration Between Fashion and Design in Rome

In a synergy of innovation and tailoring, SOTA, an avant-garde fashion retailer, and MOTELSALIERI, an eclectic brand based in Milan specializing in neo-sartorial clothing, have embarked on a transformative six-month collaboration aimed at expanding horizons in the fashion landscape. The pilot project between the brands aims to bridge the gap between the artistic sphere and the fashion realm, finding its initial setting in SOTA on via della Frezza, introducing a temporary dynamic fusion of cutting-edge design and personalized tailoring in the heart of Rome.

The SOTA MOTELSALIERI pop-up will showcase a collection of traditionally inspired garments reimagined in a modern context and bearing the signature of Fabio Quaranta, a designer with over two decades of experience, and the mastermind behind the MOTELSALIERI project and the curator of the entire collaboration.

Fabio Quaranta’s line will adapt to seasonal climates while maintaining its avant-garde aesthetic, serving as a thread connecting styles of the past with modern trends. In Via della Frezza, colors, fabrics, and experiences will converge to offer customers a fashion experience like never before.

“This project represents an alternative way of envisioning retail through the creation of synergies, typical of MOTELSALIERI. Together, in the coming months, we will not only present continuous editions of clothing and accessories, design, and publishing but also work on a concept of community,” expressed the founder of MOTELSALIERI with enthusiasm.

The collaboration extends beyond the realm of fashion; the space will be transformed into a cultural hub where art, publishing, and design will engage in an innovative dialogue that combines original aesthetic experimentation with the characteristic depth of editorial research.

Alongside the clothing collection, a selection of volumes from Humboldt Books, a publishing house founded in 2012 by Alberto Saibene and Giovanna, and a specific model of Portable Lamp produced by designer George Sowden, founder of the eponymous brand and a longtime collaborator of Ettore Sottsass, will be offered.

Art takes center stage in the spaces, adorned with exceptional works for the pop-up occasion. Among the exhibited works, two pieces by Alighiero Boetti – a prominent figure of Arte Povera – focused on graphic signs and the symmetrical effect of grids can be admired. In close dialogue with the architectural space and interior style, a polymaterial triptych by Enzo Cucchi embellishes another wall of the store, establishing a balanced interplay of signs, symbols, and materials typical of the master.

The exhibited works also establish an aesthetic relationship with the vibrant colors of Ettore Sottsass‘s design pieces, including the iconic Flying Carpet, and some ceramics from the Yantra series. The eclecticism of Gino De Dominicis, on the other hand, takes over the subsequent spaces of the store, where two large-format works by the emblematic artist from Ancona illuminate the industrial walls.

SOTA’s dedication to conceptual exploration is evident in the selection of garments displayed in the third and final room of the store, where unique pieces by iconic designers – curated by Fabio Quaranta for the URANIA project – are showcased alongside design elements by Ron Arad, in a material fusion of metal, natural fibers, and paper. Additionally, a selection of scarves in collaboration with various contemporary artists, who have lent their works to silk for the occasion, is also available.The launch of the collaboration was marked by an exclusive event on Via della Frezza, attended by artists and designers from across Italy. All products for sale (Fabio Quaranta, URANIA, Humboldt Books, and Sowden) will be available for purchase until August 2, 2024, at the SOTA Store on Via della Frezza, 52.