Arianna welcomes us like this when all three of us meet in the shop gallery in Milan. 2023 saw us take a step back and hand over the reins of Cape Best to her, the company we created in 2011 and which has since been synonymous with art, design and wine from South Africa in Milan.
“Every change fills you with pride and enthusiasm, but at the same time loads you with a series of responsibilities and questions that never leave you.” This is Arianna's confession; these are words known to those who choose to carry on the family business. In the end, however, everyone finds their own path in what turns from a "family business" into a dream project.
Cape Best was born from our dream of telling the story of the energy and exclusivity of South Africa in Italy, a destination that in 2010 was unknown to most people. Our desire was to virtually bring anyone who had the curiosity to do so thousands of kilometers away.
For Arianna the path to follow has to do with borders .
“You have aimed at a journey without borders and this is precisely one of the values to which I feel most connected today. In recent months we have started to look beyond the South African borders and, naturally, we have discovered Italian illustrators with whom to collaborate: we have created limited edition collections with their works inserted in our reclaimed wood frames made in South Africa. The response from those who have followed us for years has been extremely positive.”
This is how a new project for Cape Best was born: a collection of 10 art objects and collectibles created by international artists , which find space within our borders. We had the opportunity to draw from a private collection, selecting artists known throughout the world and one, maximum two works for each artist.
“They are works in limited editions and sold out in a few minutes, featuring artists of the caliber of Kaws , Mr Brainwash , Yayoi Kusama and others.
It is a proposal that has never been seen before in Italy, which looks to the future and which whispers to the sensitivity of those who live without borders , like us."
And faced with such creativity and enthusiasm... good luck Arianna!
Ornella and Andrea
The Arte & Collectibles collection will be available at Cape Best until 01/31/2024.
Free admission; purchases available in the shop gallery and online .
