promotion: XL Extra Light showcased its manufacturing process at an exhibition designed by Italian architect Andrea Caputo as an “immersive museum itinerary” during Milan Design Week.
The exhibition, dubbed ‘Industream’, was put together by Caputo in collaboration with artist duo Invernomuto, and demonstrated the complex industrial processes behind XL Extralight’s footwear and form design techniques.
Although the company’s core business is soles for footwear, the company said its technology is also leading it to other categories where lightness, durability and water resistance are important.
The Industrie exhibition was held at Drop City, the recently opened architecture and design center founded by Caputo and occupying a network of abandoned warehouse tunnels behind Milan Central Station.
“For Fuorisalone 2024, we had the idea to create something completely different from previous editions,” said Carlo Vecchiola, XL Extralight Foam Design Product and Brand Manager.
“This is why we started discussions with Andrea Caputo and his team to arrive at Drop City, a place for those who want to experiment and implement new design codes and visual experiences,” he said. told Dezeen.
“For the first time since exhibiting at Milan Design Week in 2014, XL Extra Light will expose its industrial processes, from compounding to injection molding, in an immersive museum itinerary.”
Founded in the 1990s by the Italian industry group Finproject, XL Extralight designs polyolefin-based molded foams that are ultra-light, soft and flexible, while also being resistant to bacteria, UV light, saline and chlorine. .
Caputo and Invernomuto’s Industrie exhibition sought to highlight the scientific aspects of the shoe sole manufacturing process and the historical connection between material innovation and human development.
At the exhibition, XL Extra Light team members wore bespoke workwear/streetwear hybrid uniforms by fashion house Lardini.
Recent brand collaborations from the brand include Camper’s Roku, a modular shoe with a removable sole that can be repaired and reused at the end of the shoe’s lifespan.
For more information about XL Extralight, please contact Maria Elena Barbati and Bianca Maria Bertolissi. [email protected].
Photography was done with XL Extralight by Invernomuto.
Milan Design Week took place from April 15th to 21st, 2024. Check out the Dezeen Event Guide for the latest list of architecture and design events around the world.
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This article was written for XL Extralight as part of a partnership with Dezeen. Learn more about Dezeen partnership content.