The Tamesis
Brera in April: The sun is warming up in Milan, the wisterias are in bloom and the streets are bustling with people awaiting the madness of Design Week. “This is the only time of year that feels like New York,” jokes Gabriella Campagna, a native New Yorker and part of creative studio Casa Milana. She and her designer husband, Mario Milana, zoom in from their home in a 1920s limestone building along Via Palermo. It is during this year’s Salone del Mobile that they will open their doors to showcase a capsule collection of carpets with Beni, glass drinking vessels with Laguna~B and new pieces designed by Milana.
The first shelving system from Casa Milana, designed to allow shelves to be freely repositioned.Photo: Maureen Martinez-Evans
A few years ago, the couple and the first of their two children traded the round-the-clock energy of New York City for the relaxed sensibilities of Italy, laying the foundation for Casa Milana. (Previously, Milana founded her own studio in 2014 while living in Brooklyn, and Campagna was an actor before pursuing somatic therapy full-time.) They initially rented an apartment in a former shoe showroom, but quickly bought it when their neighbor on the floor moved back to Germany after 15 years there. They then transformed the two spaces into what they are today – a place to call home and embody the identity of Casa Milan. “The building is a little crumbling, but all the original details are intact and it has charm,” Campagna added.
For Milana, who grew up in the Città Studi neighborhood, the move also marks a return. Of course, the country’s quality of life and child-friendly pace was a driving factor in the move, but it also offered the advantage of being in close proximity to the artisans Milana works with. This easy access allows him to explore new material and allows the studio to grow more broadly. “To develop something, you have to have face time,” he explains. “It’s really about connecting with the artisans.”
