Inspired by a legacy of exceptional design dating back to 1970, it’s only fitting that Range Rover would once again make its mark at Salone del Mobile. For Milan Design Week last month, the iconic brand presented Connected Worlds, an installation that blends heritage, innovation, and immersive storytelling.
Housed in the historic Palazzo Belgioioso, Connected Worlds offered a multi-sensory journey that transported visitors from the birth of Range Rover in 1970 through to its future in 2025. The installation celebrated 55 years of design evolution and was brought to life in collaboration with California-based design studio NUOVA, known for crafting experiential spatial narratives.
This unique presentation bridged past and future through a cinematic lens, exploring Range Rover’s ongoing impact on modern luxury. Curated by NUOVA and Range Rover’s in-house creative team, the space featured custom-designed furniture, atmospheric soundscapes, and signature fragrances by Aeir, NUOVA’s carbon-negative fragrance label, created exclusively for this experience.
“We are excited to showcase Range Rover’s lasting legacy at Milan Design Week. Connected Worlds immerses visitors in our origins and contrasts this with our future vision. Today, Range Rover continues to epitomize modernity, evolving its distinctive design, silhouette, and brand ecosystem, enhancing both desirability and timelessness. This experience illustrates how we honor our past while pushing boundaries,” says Prof. Gerry McGovern OBE, Chief Creative Officer of JLR.
At the heart of Piazza Belgioioso, a 25-meter monolith adorned with a gold Range Rover motif marked the entrance to the time-travel-inspired experience. The first capsule invited visitors into 1970, evoking the look and feel of a vintage car dealership. Inside, the first pre-production Classic Range Rover, ‘YVB 151H,’ was displayed in its original Olive Green finish. Surrounding it was a nostalgic interior crafted by NUOVA, complete with a red oxblood sofa, a marble Enzo table, and era-specific accents including a fish tank, vintage memorabilia, and 44 custom-designed ceiling lights.
The ambiance was enhanced by Dorothy, a chrome-plated speaker delivering a live musical composition, and the scent of Grand Rose, evocative of 1970s luxury with hints of leather and aged currency. NUOVA also created bespoke artifacts for the exhibit, along with retro-inspired uniforms for the time-travel concierge, designed in collaboration with L.A.-based luxury atelier L’Equip.
From there, visitors transitioned into the second capsule, Range Rover’s vision of tomorrow. This futuristic space was defined by reflective mirror pillars and prismatic light boxes symbolizing the passage of time. Center stage stood the latest fifth-generation Range Rover Autobiography, finished in a bespoke metallic green that nodded to its classic roots. The juxtaposition of the two models highlighted the brand’s journey from timeless original to contemporary icon.
Throughout the installation, hosts dressed in era-specific attire guided visitors, embodying both past and present. NUOVA founders Enrico Pietra and Rodrigo Caula shared, “Range Rover has long been a companion across generations, evolving while staying true to its identity. Our exploration of time travel examines how design, innovation, and craftsmanship intertwine across periods. Collaborating with a brand so rooted in heritage yet driven by reinvention feels like a natural alignment.”
