The Complete Ancient Memories Collection at Milan Design Week

Sustainable design is not about trends or seasonality. In a world that rushes after colours of the year and fleeting cycles of consumption, Fischbacher 1819 chooses to slow down—to research, to create textiles that endure. Not only for their quality, but for their intrinsic value— for their ability to transcend time without losing meaning. Ancient Memories is the natural evolution of this philosophy: a journey into material, memory, and the capacity of textiles to tell timeless stories.

Following the unveiling of the first part of the collection in January, Fischbacher 1819 now presents the next evolution of Ancient Memories—a textile project conceived by renowned designer Marcel Wanders and textile artist Caterina Roppo, together with the brand’s creative director, Camilla D. Fischbacher. Their collaborative vision goes beyond the creation of new textiles; it questions the value of tradition and explores its potential for reinvention.

It’s no coincidence that Ancient Memories is catered around hemp—an ancient, resilient, and sustainable fibre long associated with artisanal weaving. At a time when the notion of luxury is being redefined, Fischbacher 1819 looks beyond aesthetics, elevating the value of textiles through materials that are not only enduring and timeless, but carry the weight and warmth of a past worth preserving. The pursuit of plant-based fibres, the reuse and reinterpretation of materials—these are the foundations of a new offering that resists the logic of fast consumption and trend standardization. Instead, it invites making, remaking, and reimagining—allowing each piece to tell a story that evolves with those who live with it.

Among the newest additions to the collection are the Animalia Echo, Puffy Loom, and Animalia Traces rugs—where the fusion of natural and plant-based fibres creates rich, tactile surfaces in which imperfection becomes a virtue and the patina of time a defining trait. This experimental approach is not a return to the past, but a projection into the future—where ancient materials and techniques are reinterpreted to serve the rhythms and needs of contemporary life.

Ancient Memories is, above all, an exercise in awareness and resistance—a tribute to material in its purest essence, and an invitation to reimagine textiles as a space for innovation not only in aesthetics, but in culture and sustainability. The presentation is accompanied by Everybody has pain. somewhere, a solo exhibition by Caterina Roppo, featuring textile works that explore the layering of memory and time through material. The showroom layout will also include a dedicated area highlighting the dialogue between art and design, featuring a video installation by Rashed Qurwash.

Fischbacher 1819’s evocative Milan showroom becomes the setting for this timeless narrative, as the collection’s rugs and new upholstery fabrics interact with vintage furnishings and contemporary pieces by leading international brands. Aligned with a principle held dear by both the brand and the designers of Ancient Memories, each element is conceived to endure—adapting gracefully to ever-changing contexts without losing its soul or authenticity.

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Discover the concept behind the showroom during Milan Design Week

Discover the Collection:

Animalia Echo
Animalia Traces
Eco Saga
Crafted Echoes
Heritage Healing
Infinite Patina
Nature's Canvas
Nature's Dialogue
Pastoral Weave
Puffy Loom
Sacred Bark
Tales of Nature
Timeless Traces
Wanders' Heritage