A design collaboration between Smeg and Dolce & Gabbana has led to the creation of a new retro style refrigerator that reflects their shared passion for Italian tradition. Inspired by D&G’s much-acclaimed 2016 summer fashion collection, Smeg’s iconic retro style FAB28 refrigerator is the canvas for the vibrant patterns and the striking Sicilian history depicted in motifs and colour palettes taken directly from the famous Carretto Siciliano (Sicilian horse drawn cart).

The limited edition collection has a total of 100 FAB28 refrigerators transformed into luxury items that epitomise the passion for style and design expressed by both Dolce & Gabbana and the family-owned Smeg brand.

Key design highlights of the FAB28 retro refrigerators include all exterior surfaces richly decorated with hand-painted Sicilian symbols of lemons, the trinacria, cart wheels, medieval knights and battle scenes. Each Sicilian tableau has been embellished with classical floral motifs in a colour palette of predominantly red, yellow, teal and Mediterranean blue.

Each refrigerator in the limited edition collection is unique and is destined to be a highly desirable collector’s item or family heirloom.

Several Sicilian artists and artisans were commissioned to hand-paint the refrigerators including brothers Antonio and Giuseppe Bevilacqua, who specialise in artistic ceramics and are noted for their colour palette of bright yellow, intense blue, emerald green and deep black representing the Sicilian sun, sea, hills and lava on Mount Etna; and the mother-daughter team of Adriana Zambonelli and Tiziana Nicosia who share the same passion and skill for creating dramatic and outstanding Pupi (traditional puppets).

The first of these unique refrigerators will be unveiled during Milan’s Design Fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2016, at a glittering party to be held at Dolce & Gabbana’s Metropol Bar.