The reinterpreted USM!

If the limited True Pink collection showcased in Milan earlier this year wasn’t enough to surprise you, check out the USM system in a whole new light, reinterpreted through two very original partnerships with luggage brand Rimowa and US artist Daniel Arsham.

When it comes to storage solutions, whether fixed (at home or in the office) or mobile (when travelling), USM and Rimowa are undeniable reference brands. Both have easily identifiable lines and certain characteristic details that make up the DNA of each brand.

And the similarities don’t stop there, because the two companies also share several values, including stringent standards in terms of aesthetics, functionality and quality.

According to Emelie De Vitis, Marketing Director at Rimowa, “USM furniture has always been a familiar feature at Rimowa because we’ve been using the modular USM Haller system to kit out our registered office in Cologne for years”. “USM and Rimowa have focused on constantly improving the same products for decades: Rimowa on its grooved aluminium suitcase since 1955 and USM on its modular furniture system that was patented in 1965. Such constant innovation can only be achieved by paying the greatest attention to both quality and functionality”.

This unique prototype (which isn’t for sale) dreamed up by USM and Rimowa seems almost self-evident.

The USM unit with perfect proportions, which are somewhat reminiscent of those of a suitcase, is entirely covered with Rimowa’s signature grooved aluminium panels to create an ideal synthesis between the two worlds.

Daniel Arsham is an internationally acclaimed artist based in New York. He is well known for shaking up the codes of contemporary art and for his ability to interpret commonly shared references. His work explores the fields of fine art, architecture, performance, design and cinema, and his spectacular installation in the heart of Palazzo del Senato created a sensation once again at the latest Milan Design Week.

This year, he joined forces with USM to create a unique object entitled The USM Veiled Console Chair, transforming the emblematic modular furniture system into a sculptural work.

USM Haller is partially veiled with rigid white drapery fabric, which offers somewhere to sit and contemplate within this elegant structure. The veiled nature of this work refers to the dichotomy between what is seen and what is hidden, while simultaneously drawing parallels with Daniel Arsham’s body of work entitled Architectural Anomalies.

This unique item, together with others, was showcased during the Milan Design Week 2022 as part of Art & Residence: an exhibition by Daniel Arsham and StockX at Spazio Maiocchi.