For Milan Design Week, Saint Laurent Rive Droite teams with the Gio Ponti Archives, Ginori 1735 and the Fundación Anala y Armando Planchart to showcase a plate collection. But these aren't ordinary plates. These are Villa Planchart Segnaposto Plates and for such an exceptional collection, it is showcased at the Gio Ponti—Villa Planchart exhibition. Saint Laurent's creative director, Anthony Vaccarello, curated the exhibit.  

This collaboration dates back to 1953. That's when Anala and Armando Planchart commissioned renowned Italian architect, Gio Ponti, to construct an avant-garde villa for them on the highest hill overlooking Caracas, Venezuela. While designing the villa, Ponti employed exceptional Italian artisans with traditional expertise for the interior decor of the Villa Planchart. This included the Florentine manufacturer Ginori 1735, for which he had previously worked as artistic director. He designed a set of porcelain tableware decorated with the various symbols of the villa. This pays homage to the village and Anala and Amando. 

Saint Laurent will reissue 12 original plates from the Villa Planchart Segnaposto collection designed by Gio Ponti. These traditionally-crafted decorative porcelain plates are painted by hand in Ginori 1735’s Italian Manifattura. Available in vibrant hues, the plates feature the same motifs that appeared in the porcelain tableware designed for the villa. This included the sun, the crescent moon, the polar star and iterations of the letter “A”—referencing the initials of the villa’s owners.

The limited-edition plates will be available online, at SAINT LAURENT RIVE DROITE Los Angeles, SAINT LAURENT BABYLONE in Paris. Also, for a limited time, by appointment at Saint Laurent’s Milan flagship on Via Montenapoleone during Milan Design Week.

Held at the Chiostri di San Simpliciano, the Gio Ponti—Villa Planchart exhibition will be open from April 16th to 21st. To pre-book tickets, register here.