Rh drops a bomb on milan design week: friedman's family ties fuel a luxe invasion
Milan was a kaleidoscope of color and noise last Tuesday, a familiar frenzy surrounding Milan Design Week. But amidst the aperitivo chatter and designer buzz, American lifestyle behemoth RH detonated onto the scene, triggering a spectacle unlike anything previously witnessed.
A queue that snaked for hundreds of yards
The entrance to a monumental 19th-century palazzo, usually a scene of understated elegance, was transformed into a bottleneck. A snaking queue, stretching hundreds of yards in both directions, formed around the ornate stone archway, bathed in dramatic uplighting. Blacked-out luxury sedans, bearing the RH crest, lined the street, disgorging A-list stars – Margot Robbie and Zoe Saldaña were spotted expertly navigating the throng – directly to the door.
Inside, a palazzo transformed
Stepping through the archway was like entering another dimension. The grand, marble-lined lobby pulsed with the energy of a thousand admirers. Displays showcased the architectural titans – Palladio, Da Vinci, Brunelleschi – alongside a rare 16th-century edition of Vitruvius’s De Architectura. Beyond lay a courtyard brimming with Sant Ambroeus cocktails, miniature Da Vittorio triple-tomato paccheri, and the infectious rhythm of a French house DJ, a sonic blast echoing from Coachella.
Bar basso's neon oasis
Even more strikingly, the celebrated Bar Basso, the street’s nightly Glastonbury, had commandeered the top floor, serving their iconic negroni sbagliati under a recreation of their legendary neon sign. It was a delightful, unexpected collision of worlds.
Friedman’s personal stake
Gary Friedman, RH’s chairman and CEO, revealed the impetus behind this audacious move: a deeply personal connection to Italy. “Milan is a city of dreamers, designers, and definers,” he stated. “People who have taught us to inspire and to create desire.” But the gallery, he emphasized, was a tribute to his mother and uncle, a tangible expression of familial roots. “This is about a lot more to me than selling furniture,” Friedman confided.
A year of impossible ambitions
The rapid succession of openings – Paris’s Champs-Élysées and now Milan – underscores the sheer scale of RH’s ambition. The company, once a purveyor of slinkies and yoyos, has undergone a radical transformation, evolving into the world’s largest luxury home furnishings brand. Its interior design division, quietly building a formidable reputation over two decades, operates within the building itself, offering bespoke design services alongside the furniture. From Dallas to Dubai, they’ve tackled projects of breathtaking scope. The London outpost, slated for later this year in the former Abercrombie & Fitch flagship on Savile Row, promises to continue this trend, further cementing RH’s global footprint.
Beyond the brashness
Despite initial skepticism from some Milanese locals, concerned about the encroachment of American brands on their cherished design week, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Brunello Cucinelli, Remo Ruffini, and other Italian Fashion titans mingled with architects and designers like Martina Mondadori and Piero Lissoni. The scene was undeniably glamorous – Cloud sofas, caviar blinis, and, of course, those relentlessly flowing Bar Basso negroni sbagliatos – a testament to RH’s ability to cultivate a truly desirable experience. “There’s a realization that we’ve planted real roots, and plan to be a permanent part of the community,” Friedman asserted.
A measured approach
When pressed about the logistical challenges of executing such ambitious projects within a single year, Friedman’s response was remarkably succinct: “Patience.” “We’ve worked tirelessly and overcome countless obstacles for more than 25 years, transforming an essentially bankrupt Restoration Hardware into RH,” he explained. “To open RH Paris, Milan, and London within a 10-month period, all in unique and significantly historic buildings, each with unique and distinctive hospitality experiences, is a dream come true.”