An architect with a distinguished background in fashion design, Giampiero Panepinto crafts top-tier hotels with strong character and a deep harmony with their local context. His approach is literally “tailor-made,” with art playing a central, defining role in every project.
Could you tell us about your professional background and the work your studio does?
I studied at the Politecnico di Milano, where I graduated with a degree in architecture. During my first years at the university, I also began working in the fashion world, focusing on knitwear, and collaborated with Paolo Pecora brand for about ten years.
I later launched my own label, Panepinto, which took me to the runways of Tokyo and earned me a place in the Encyclopedia of Fashion. This aspect still influences the way I work today: I have a meticulous, almost tailor-like attention to detail. I often say that while I may not be able to design a skyscraper from scratch, I can “dress” it, giving it character and elegance.
My studio is very small, there are five of us, and we mainly focus on interior design, with a strong specialisation in the hospitality sector.
We’ve worked on high-end hotels such as the Capri Tiberio Palace, the Leading Hotel Palazzo Roma, the Hotel Vilòn with its Adelaide restaurant, and Palazzo Shedir, another Leading Hotel spanning 1,500 square meters with only three rooms, hailed as one of the “seven wonders of Rome.” Currently, we’re overseeing the renovation of the Savoy Hotel & Spa in Paestum, including its Michelin-starred restaurant Tre Olivi.
We also handle international projects: a villa in Miami, a house in Noto, offices in Milan, and several apartments between Rome and Milan.
Is there a common thread running through your projects?
Every project is unique to us. There is, of course, a common thread, but every hotel has its own identity, and we always try to tailor a bespoke look for it, using materials, colours and details that make it instantly recognisable.
Alongside our main work, we have also created the Contaste brand, through which we oversee everything that follows the actual project, such as staff uniforms, plants, decorations, music, table settings…
What role does art play in your projects?
Art plays a fundamental role because it helps shape the identity of a place. In many projects, we try to create real visual journeys. For example, at Palazzo Roma, we decorated the different floors of the hotel with distinct themes: popes, philosophers, and astronomers. In the corridors, we introduced references to La Dolce Vita, with images of paparazzi, Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, Alitalia, and the Fontana sisters.
The goal is to leave a strong impression on guests who stay at the hotel. Nowadays, it’s difficult to find places that truly remain in people’s memories; we try to achieve this through art as well. We acquire photographs from galleries or online, and we collaborate with artists and photographers to create bespoke works. At the same time, we always aim to maintain a strong connection with the local context: whether we are working in Sicily, Miami, or Ibiza, we enjoy involving local artists and reflecting the spirit of the place in the project.
What do you think about Cinquerosso Arte?
I met Francesca Fazioli through mutual friends, and that’s how the idea of collaborating came about. I must say that choosing a piece of art is always very personal for me: I don’t buy paintings for their financial value, but because they convey something and align with the project I’m developing.
Whenever I work on a project, I look for objects, artworks, or images that can enter my world and interpret it in the right way. If a proposal manages to capture that spirit, then it can work, regardless of its origin. For me, the most important thing is that there is coherence between the artwork, the space, and the overall design concept.
