Schön! alive 2 | found forms

Lisbon’s skyline is about to get a serious touch of high-fashion edge. Karl Lagerfeld, the brand that carries the torch of the late designer’s colossal legacy, has announced its very first branded residential project in Portugal. It promises to be exactly as monochromatic, sharp and luxurious as you would expect.

While Karl Lagerfeld, the man, passed away in February 2019, his eponymous brand has continued to expand his aesthetic footprint across the globe, proving his vision is truly timeless. The Lisbon Residences are a key part of this legacy expansion, joining existing projects like the Karl Lagerfeld Macau hotel and the Villas Marbella, with Dubai Villas also forthcoming. The German designer himself, known primarily for his transformative work at Chanel, Fendi and his own label, was always heavily involved in architecture and interior design, often designing his own homes and studios.

Set to rise at Rua Braamcamp 48–50, just a few steps from the designer-lined Avenida da Liberdade, Karl Lagerfeld Residences Lisboa represents a piece of habitable couture designed to bring a touch of Parisian rock-chic to the sunny capital.

“Karl believed great design should be lived in, not just admired,” says Lagerfeld’s CEO, Pier Paolo Righi. “With every residence, our aim is to create a place that feels personal and true to Karl’s world. The Karl spirit comes through not only in the architecture and interiors, but in the way the concierge greets you, the calm of the spa, and the thoughtful touches that shape everyday life.”

This project, developed in partnership with Portuguese developer OVERSEAS, marks a significant moment for Lisbon’s real estate market. While the city has long been celebrated for its Pombaline order and azulejo charm, it is rapidly evolving into a playground for the global elite. By planting its flag here, the Maison is confirming Lisbon’s status as a new capital of design.

“Together, we’ve imagined a residence that speaks to comfort, elegance and authenticity – a place that reflects Karl Lagerfeld’s enduring legacy and the city’s timeless charm,” says Pedro Vicente, CEO of OVERSEAS.

The architecture itself acts as a love letter to Karl’s creative process. Designed with a precise, Bauhaus-coded expression, the building features a sculptural V-shaped façade where vertical lines ascend toward the sky. But the detail that will delight true loyalists is the colour gradient. As the lines rise, they warm into shades of red, a loyal reinterpretation of the red border Karl Lagerfeld famously used to frame his sketches. It is a signature finish that is now being applied to the city itself.

Inside, the development is hyper-exclusive, comprising just ten apartments spread across eleven floors. The interiors were developed in collaboration with The One Atelier and are furnished by Karl Lagerfeld Maison, sticking to a rigorous, sophisticated palette. You can expect brushed steel, lacquer and Via Láctea stone (a granite that resembles a starry night), all warmed by Grigio-toned wood.

The amenities go far beyond standard concierge service. The wellness floor acts as a bridge between design and ritual, featuring an ‘emotional shower’ which uses a multi-sensory mix of light, sound and aromatherapy alongside a steam room, sauna and floating pool.

What truly separates this project from generic luxury developments are the specific references to Lagerfeld’s private life. The communal pool features an underwater sound system, a direct homage to the one Karl installed in his own beloved home in Biarritz because he believed music shouldn’t stop just because you are swimming. 

The penthouse takes this boldness a step further with a private outdoor pool featuring a transparent floor that forms the ceiling of the level below. It creates a dizzying, daring layer of transparency that feels ripped straight from a futuristic runway set.

With completion slated for 2028, the residences promise to be a truly innovative living space, practically existing within a piece of art.

photography. courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld
words. Gennaro Costanzo

If anyone understands the art of the long dark, it is the Scandinavians. For Copenhagen-based Muuto, the festive season is all about ‘New Nordic’ warmth, a specific kind of tactile minimalism that makes you want to hibernate in style.

Since 2006, the brand set out to bring a fresh and democratic voice to Scandinavian design, working with both young and established designers to reinterpret minimalism as something more tactile and expressive. Muuto’s universe is one of soft geometry, democratic craftsmanship and an insistence on tactility, where every object encourages interaction rather than perfection.

This winter, Muuto is focusing on the architecture of gathering. At the centre of their holiday campaign is a clever piece of industrial design that doubles as an interactive sculpture: the Pair Candleholder.

Designed by Lars Tornøe, the Pair began as a single, extruded X-shape in a rigid, industrial form. But Tornøe’s genius stroke was to slice that X in half, resulting in two distinct pieces that can be nested, stacked or even separated. You can push them together to form the classic X, or pull them apart to create ‘nested waves’ or linear rows. 

“I wanted to challenge the traditional, static layout of four candles,” says Tornøe. “By splitting it into two, the form becomes more expressive. People can use it differently every time.”

Crafted from anodised aluminium in muted tones like black, green and light blue, the Pair Candleholder is essentially a fidget toy for the aesthetically minded who seeks to bring the same creativity to their dinner table.

But a candle needs a stage. Muuto has curated a supporting cast of objects designed to soften the winter edges. The Ridge Vase, designed by Studio Kaksikko, returns in a stunning frosted glass finish. With its dented ridge allowing flowers to stand upright, the new texture mimics the look of frozen water, adding a cool, sculptural element to a holiday table. For a more subtle approach, the Silent Vase offers a timeless, mouth-blown glass vessel that lets the greenery do the talking.

Lighting, of course, is non-negotiable. The Strand Table Lamp by Benjamin Hubert provides the perfect diffused glow. Made from a sprayed cocoon resin material, it looks like a cloud caught on a stand, filtering light to create an atmosphere that is soft, warm and forgiving.

And because real life involves clutter, there is the Restore series by Mika Tolvanen. The Restore Basket and Restore Tray look like soft, woollen felt, but are actually made from recycled plastic bottle fibres. They are the perfect, texture-rich hiding place for everything you want to clear away before the guests arrive.

Discover the holidays catalogue here.

photography. courtesy of Muuto
words. Gennaro Costanzo

Fine porcelain is often treated as a fragile relic, a relic of a time when tables were formal and manners were rigid. Our obsession with innovation keeps us wanting something new, futuristic, so what is exactly the role of a porcelain house that predates the United States? Ginori 1735, a name synonymous with pure Florentine luxury since, well, 1735, is staging a rebellion. The brand, which counts Gucci and Saint Laurent as its Kering-owned stablemates, is stepping away from the shadow of the velvet-roped china cabinet. Its new campaign, ‘The New Table Manners,’ is a manifesto for personal expression, artfully dismantling the dogma of the formal dinner table.

The campaign proposes a new language of hospitality, where “intentional imperfection and spontaneous creativity are celebrated.” It’s a move that reframes the brand’s centuries-old legacy, shifting its exquisite creations from precious heirlooms to active participants in the beautiful mess of real life.

The campaign unfolds as a narrative quartet, an itinerary that transforms everyday customs into moments of personal beauty.

It begins with ‘Back to School,’ a chapter that captures elegance in motion. For this, Ginori champions the sleek, modern lines of the Diva collection, reviving a design icon: the 1954 Colonna collection, originally famous for its stackable functionality and mid-century geometries. Reborn in soft pastels and defined by sophisticated golden contours, the Diva proves that heritage porcelain can be pulled from the cabinet and used daily, whether it’s a quick coffee on the go or a plate resting on a notebook.

As autumn deepens, ‘Thanksgiving’ opens the door to creative tradition. The brand’s most iconic and opulent pattern, Oriente Italiano, is given the spotlight. This vibrant, chinoiserie-inspired floral, with its rich Malachite greens and deep Aurum golds, is shown mixed with unexpected details, encouraging a blend of heritage and impulse.

For Christmas, the lush florals of Oriente Italiano are set against the architectural precision of the Catene (Chains) and Labirinto (Labyrinth) collections. This is where Ginori’s deep design history shines; both of these graphic patterns were originally conceived in the 1920s by the godfather of Italian design, Gio Ponti.

The story culminates on New Year’s Eve with a creative coup. The brand imagines a party where the “new generation” takes the lead. “Young people challenge conventions, rewrite rituals and reinterpret more traditional customs, transforming them into a play of creativity and spontaneity,” Ginori notes. The table is a riot of colour and style, mixing the modernist Catene and Labirinto with bold flashes of Oriente Italiano Rubrum red.

Ginori is making it clear: your table should be a space for creativity, not rules inherited from another era. 

Find out more here.

photography. courtesy of Ginori 1735
words. Gennaro Costanzo