Jil Sander and Apartamento magazine presented Reference Library during Milan Design Week 2026, running from April 20 to 24 at the Jil Sander showroom at Via Luca Beltrami 5 in Milan. On April 22, the brands hosted an intimate talk and book reading circle, followed by a cocktail party at the Jil Sander Verri store in Milan.
Exhibition Concept
The installation brought together 60 distinct books carefully selected by writers, designers, artists, filmmakers, and thinkers whose perspectives have shaped modern culture. Contributors included Simone Bellotti, Ronan Bouroullec, Jasper Morrison, Lykke Li, Celine Song, and Hans Ulrich Obrist. Conceived as a quiet rebellion against digital skimming, the exhibition served as a physical affirmation of reading for pleasure, creating a space designed for close observation and deliberate reflection.
Installation Design
Milanese architecture practice studioutte designed the installation inside the Jil Sander showroom, featuring chrome plated reading lecterns arranged in rows, each illuminated by a warm beam of light for reading. The books were displayed on chrome lecterns with reflections mirrored back by a mirrored wall, creating an immersive environment. Visitors could book appointments in 60 minute time slots to handle and read the books using provided white gloves, which they could keep as a quiet souvenir.
Talk and Book Reading
The April 22 event featured a talk and book reading reflecting on how reading shapes ways of seeing, thinking, and making across disciplines. The discussion was hosted by Simone Bellotti, Angelo Flaccavento, and Marco Velardi, alongside Nifemi Marcus Bello, Maria Arnal, and Dan Thawley, and moderated by Durga Chew Bose. Following the conversation, attendees gathered for a cocktail party at the Jil Sander Verri store.
Exhibition Philosophy
In a time defined by skimming, fragments, and paths set in advance, the exhibition insisted on something slower, more deliberate, and more personal. The installation transformed the act of reading into a sterile, sacred ritual within a mirrored environment, creating a stark, chrome clad sanctuary dedicated to the enduring weight of the physical page. A preview installation was also on display at the Jil Sander Store on Via Verri.
