Milano Grand Tour:

Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d'Art and Elesta Travel present five original itineraries focused on the Applied Arts, to discover places and materials

Milan, 13 September 2016 – The partnership between Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d'Art, a non- profit organization founded in 1995 to preserve and promote the heritage of the Métiers d’Art, and Elesta Travel, cultural journey designers, has generated a unique set of itineraries dedicated to the excellence of Arts and Crafts in . Milano Grand Tour will unveil the unusual side of a city through its ateliers and their exceptional creations, unique for the quality of their materials, the originality of their design, and the perfection of their manufacture.

In addition to the existing itineraries in the Elesta Travel catalogue – aimed at discovering the strong relationship between the artisans and their environment as a source of inspiration – five new, original itineraries have been created to celebrate the perfect harmony between the bello e ben fatto of artistic collections and ateliers in Milan: Timeless Beauty, Historical and Precious Leather, The Sound of Traditions, An Ancient and Noble Art, Tailor-made Jewels.

Through these guided tours, the visitor explores the artisans’ workshops and the museums that hold the secrets of Milanese traditions in Applied Arts. The tours highlight the relationship between the rich artistic and historical Italian heritage and its contemporary declination, in the modern workshops and ateliers.

In Timeless Beauty, a visit to the seventeenth-century Biblioteca Ambrosiana, one of the first libraries founded by a private patron open for public reading, will introduce the visitor to the art of bookbinding. This art is well-represented in Milan with an historical workshop, active since 1870, where everything is done by hand using age-old techniques handed down from one generation to another.

Historical and Precious Leather is just as unusual and inspiring. The collection of fifteenth- and sixteenth- century Italian-manufactured leather objects housed in Museo Bagatti Valsecchi will lead the visitor to discover authentic excellence in leathercraft at an historical boot manufacture, and to an artisan workshop in the heart of Brera, which specializes in the delicate handwork of crocodile, ostrich, lizard and other precious leathers.

The Sound of Tradition moves from the Museum of Musical Instruments in Milan, hosted in the , to offer an understanding of the Italian tradition of excellence in the manufacturing of bowed string instruments. A history of this highly artistic craft will be further explored while visiting the workshop of a Milanese master violin-maker.

An Ancient and Noble Art starts from the metal art object collections that dominate the rooms in the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi and takes the visitor to discover the fascinating atelier of a Milanese metal sculptor Gianluca Pacchioni who works in a unique environment within an eye-drop factory from the 1930s.

Tailor-made Jewels shows the unique harmony between original design, an unusual combination of precious materials, and the excellence of craftsmanship which together produce an ornament that is not only perfect and exclusive, but also meaningful. Starting from the Gold Room in , the itinerary will continue with a visit to a jewelry shop that has fascinated four generations with its precious creations. A visit to Scuola Orafa Ambrosiana, a well-known Milanese educational institution, to see the techniques and artistic craft abilities at work is also possible.

A perfect encounter of two complementary entities “Milano is a treasure chest full of wonders waiting to be discovered. A fashion, style, and design capital, the city reveals a strong artisanal heart safeguarded in courtyards, in ateliers hidden in the small central streets, and in workshops created in old industrial sites,” said Franco Cologni, founding president of the Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d'Art “We are talking about extraordinary places, where visitors can discover the multiple excellences of handcrafts: from leathercraft to jewelry, from paper-making to lute manufacturing. The Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d'Art is glad to contribute to this project, which is aimed at enhancing and promoting our territory, and the traditions and culture of Made in .”

“As accomplished storytellers, we guide our clients by creating itineraries tailored to their passions and interests,” says Elisabetta Gavazzi, Art Director at Elesta Travel. “It’s not just about listing places of interest in a guide or an app. We create paths that connect places to themes, following a precise leitmotif, so that our visitor can gather the thematic and historical links that are unexpected at first sight.”

Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte is a private non-profit institution, founded in Milano in 1995 by Franco Cologni, its President. The Foundation promotes many cultural initiatives, both scientific and educational, aimed at preserving and spreading an appreciation of Applied Arts to the general public. It promotes the culture of handcraft through publishing activities (with Marsilio, Carthusia, Swan Group, and Gruppo Editoriale), exhibitions, academic events, and meet-ups with the masters.

Elesta Travel is a team of cultural journey designers based in Milan. It offers an unforgettable experience of Italy, unveiling the beauty of a country with glorious landscapes and a magnificent past, opening the door to many hidden places and treasures that lie off the beaten track. With a community of collaborators that com- bine competencies in art, culture, and history, Elesta welcomes the discerning traveler, to explore personal interests and passions, guiding them through Italy’s varied and matchless cultural heritage where art and crafts meet with good food and leisure.

Contact:

Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte Elesta Travel Press office: Aida Partners Ogilvy PR Francesca Panzarin Tel +39 02 89504650 Mob: +39 335 1030041 Andrea Bianchi Email: [email protected] [email protected] Web: www.elestatravel.it Noemi Rivalta Twitter: @ElestaTravel [email protected]