On the occasion of Milan Design Week, United Colors of Benetton celebrates summer and fun with an exhibition by Finnish designer Paula PÀÀkkönen at the brand’s Corso Vittorio Emanuele store.

Fun. Creativity. Color. On the occasion of Milan Design Week 2025, United Colors of Benetton celebrates its special taste for life with “Summer Together”, a collaboration with young Finnish artist Paula PÀÀkkönen.

The project is a series of ice cream sculptures, in which the shapes and colors of the summer dessert par excellence meet the shiny and fragile nature of glass, making for an irresistible synesthesia that is one of the areas of glass research pursued by PÀÀkkönen in her studio together with a team of glass blowers.

“Ice cream is most often enjoyed in company, and my fondest memories of summers are those moments of fun, joy and pleasure spent with someone I love,” explains PÀÀkkönen.

“Summer Together” will be on display for a month, starting Saturday, April 12, at the United Colors of Benetton store of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 9, in Milan. A playful tribute to summer, the project renews the brand’s commitment to supporting young international talents and promoting research in the fields of art and design.

“Benetton and I are linked by our love for color,” continues PÀÀkkönen. Starting in May, her colorful ice creams will be reproduced in the windows of United Colors of Benetton stores, in Italy and abroad.

The project also includes a capsule collection in which the colorful sculptures of “Summer Together” inspire the brand's clothes and accessories. The mini collection is summery and extremely colorful, comprising unisex, cotton jersey t-shirts – for adults and kids – tote bags and scarves to be worn or tied to bags. The capsule will be distributed in one hundred selected United Colors of Benetton stores starting from the end of April, as well as via an online preview at www.benetton.com from April 12.

United Colors of Benetton

United Colors of Benetton is a leader in the field of Italian-style knitwear and casual clothing. Founded on a unique mix of color, knitwear and inclusive spirit, it has always been aimed at the whole family, understood in a broad sense, with a particular focus on the new generations.

Paula PÀÀkkönen

Paula PÀÀkkönen (born in 1990) is a glassblower and an artist. She works in the famous glass village of NuutajĂ€rvi, Finland. Glass is her preferred material because it’s so challenging to work with and because glassblowing techniques are an endless source of inspiration for her. As an artist, she is currently working with the themes of childhood, memories and imagination. In 2024, she was among the international talents selected for “Homo Faber: The Journey of Life”, an exhibition on craftsmanship curated by Luca Guadagnino and NicolĂČ Rosmarini that was hosted by the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, in Venice.



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