SALONE DEL MOBILE 2023

CAMPO MARZIO - MILAN, ITALY

SOPHIE DRIES

In collaboration with French perfumery Maison D'ORSAY, Sophie Dries has designed a bespoke collection of olfactory columns (Colonnes Olfactives). Born from her long-standing fascination with raw minerals and material contrast, the project explores the insertion of porous, burned basswood cork directly alongside noble stones and brass, creating an organic interplay between light, architectural verticality, and diffused fragrance.

The collection is organized around totem-like, fluid structures generated through the juxtaposition of elemental textures. Handcrafted in France, each piece remains entirely unique through its combination of travertine, selenite, green onyx, and patinated metals. The olfactory columns were conceived as functional, sensory objects designed to bring the spirit of collectible sculpture and ambient fragrance into daily domestic life.

Presented as part of Salone del Mobile inside the historic Campo Marzio space in Milan, the project expands on the dialogue between high perfumery and contemporary object design. Organized in collaboration with Maison D'ORSAY, the exhibition transforms the Milanesi venue into a tactile, olfactory archive—blurring the boundaries between scent vessel, architectural column, and modern interior.

The space is organized as an immersive spatial installation that explores senses, materiality, and the tension between permanent stone and volatile fragrance. Staged across the volumes of Campo Marzio, Sophie Dries’ featured mineral columns are placed in direct conversation with the historic surroundings, establishing a fluid sequence throughout the exhibition quarters.