In conversation with ELENA SALMISTRARO
Boundless visions
Back to storiesElena Salmistraro
Elena Salmistraro - one of the greatest contemporary product designers whose aesthetics starred in the recent exhibition held at the Antonio Colombo Gallery in Milan - is back at Design Week 2025 with the new retro-pop inspired capsule collection "The Essential Touch" dedicated to the world of kitchen appliances. From macro to micro scale design, the designer from Milan has dealt with all kinds of projects.
Wood, ceramic, fabrics: you have experimented with almost any kind of material in your work. Which ones are you most comfortable with and which ones would you like to challenge yourself with?
«In my professional career, I have been lucky enough to explore a wide range of materials, each having its own peculiarities and expressive potential. Ceramic, for example, has always fascinated me greatly, because of its extraordinary versatility but also because of its ability to turn into shapes that tell ancient stories while being extremely modern and contemporary: I’ve become very familiar with this material. Wood, with its natural warmth and inherent history, is a material I love because it has the power to converse with time, adding a dimension of continuity to my creations. And then fabrics, with their textures and colors, convey an intimate and sensorial feeling that I find very interesting to explore. At the same time, however, I am always looking for new challenges and experimentations: I am thrilled to discover different materials, wishing to test myself and explore creative languages».
You have recently designed a collection of ceramic objects that pays homage to the greatest designers of all time, who are clearly recognizable by their eyewear frames. In your opinion, then, are glasses a distinguishing feature rather than just an accessory?
«For the „Most Illustrious“ collection, I decided to celebrate the greatest designers through shapes and details that reflect their work, and are thus immediately recognizable. Eyewear frames were a key element for me in this project, as they not only hide the eyes – a very complex and expressive part of the face – but are also a symbol of distinction. In fact, glasses are more than just a functional accessory; they are a distinguishing trait, a personal signature element that defines the wearer’s style. In this project, specifically, they represent a statement of identity, transforming an everyday object into an element that speaks of who we are, a true trademark that turns the ordinary into something extraordinary».
Since you have always designed by immersing yourself in color, it is inevitable to ask you: how would you envision an eyewear collection?
«Actually, I’ve already had the opportunity to design glasses, although unfortunately the pandemic interrupted the project. When I think of a pair of glasses, I don’t imagine them as an object that only serves to protect the eyes, but as something that also becomes a tool for self-expression. I am very attracted to bold shapes, those that capture attention without being too invasive. Color also plays a key role, because I’d like it to convey feelings, while being so well-balanced that it is never excessive or intrusive. And finally, a frame should never lack unexpected details. Little touches that break the mold and defy labels to give each piece a unique and authentic personality».
