The anticipation for Fuorisalone 2016 began to show itself as soon as we got off the plane in Milan. We were immediately greeted by the glorious Italian sunshine, and waited amongst the first sighting of fashion victims at baggage claim. “Ok, first and foremost, sunglasses on,” declared Antonio. He’s Italian, so he must know. Determined – with sunglasses on – we dropped our bags at the hotel and headed straight to the event in the heart of Milan, Via Tortona. It was here that GORE-TEX presented their interactive video animation before a stunning backdrop. We were beyond excited. On the way from the hotel on Via Correnti, just northwest of Via Tortona, everything was quite peaceful, and we were enjoying the sun’s warmth. At the edge of Porta Genova we stepped onto a bridge – a green, well-trafficked steel structure – to where we will be every day this week.
The pulsating Via Tortona
It’s here on a narrow street that the hip Via Tortona begins, directly from Porta Genova. One restaurant after the other, surrounded in a haze of extremely stylish people making their way from A to B casually. Wherever we look, there’s something happening: fashionistas drinking their cappuccinos or Proseccos, human-like curios in crazy outfits on their phones, pieces of conversation in every language imaginable. All together, they make up the buzz on the street. We don’t know where to look. In every courtyard, there’s something to explore from famous brands like Lexus, Miele or Red Bull. Again and again, I am presented with creatures for whom “fashion” is more than just a word. The vibe is somehow magical – cool and young and bold and modern. A short cappuccino stop is necessary to let everything sink in. Slowly we make our way to Via Tortona 27 where GORE-TEX can be found. A big, bright backyard surrounded by various building complexes. Our Italian colleagues are already there and greet us before we excitedly enter the GORE-TEX showroom.
“Cool white” is the new “small black”
Past the reception, we enter the dark showroom to be met by two projection screens which dominate the room. On the right we find several special Highlight Styles, for instance the “PELOTAS XLITE GORE-TEX from Camper, a limited edition exclusively available at the Fuorisalone in Milan. Very trendy in white, but in Milan, white is THE sneaker color. What I found here in the showroom as well as on the streets of Milan on any remotely stylish person was the STAN SMITH GORE-TEX from Adidas – a real eye-catcher! Black and white are most definitely the dominating shades in fashion at the Fuorisalone 2016. On top, you find predominantly black, whether dresses, tops, shorts or pants, and to round off the ensemble a pair of white sneakers. But back to the video installation. No, wait, first just one more bite of this delicious Cantuccione… and now back to the polaroids and the installation.
GORE-TEX METEOMORPHOSIS: sun and rain in an interactive video animation
Ever played with the sun or the rain? You can with the GORE-TEX METEOMORPHOSIS at the Fuorisalone! And you could do it all day. Watch the screen and see the sun and rain respond to your movements. You can push the sun from left to right, for instance, or hug it tightly, or even move it with your head. My task at the Fuorisalone is to cover the Social Media Live Reporting for Europe and the positive reactions of the community are clear: our fans love the interactive installation! And who can blame them? I wanted to stay and play all day. Twitter and Instagram exploded with funny pictures from the video installation. An extra treat: post a picture with the hashtag #GORETEX and you get to bring the picture home in the form of a polaroid. [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="http://www.gore-tex.co.uk/blog/app/uploads/2016/04/IMG_4710.mp4"][/video] Whether rain or shine: the innovative weather installation shows us how GORE-TEX lets us explore in any conditions, and all that before a stunning backdrop. “We’re not interested in the weather,” says Valentina from Gore, “we just go out with the right clothes on and enjoy every moment regardless.” On top of that, the METEOMORPHOSIS shows us that GORE-TEX isn’t just for outdoors. At the Furoisalone 2016, the brand feels right at home in the fashion segment as well.
