In the world of polo, victory is not only built on the field, but begins in the silent moments before the game. It all begins on a chair: here the players study the field, lace up their boots, tighten their kneepads and take a deep breath before launching into the competition. Where strategy meets spirit, tension transforms into determination and the tradition of polo is perpetuated.
For Salone Del Mobile 2025, La Martina presents “The Chair Before the Game”, a design and art installation, where the timeless spirit of polo meets craftsmanship, sustainability and human connection.
The heart of the project is a series of upcycled vintage sculptural chairs, transformed into emotional objects by the artist and Artistic Director of the brand Michel Rosenfelder. Each chair is a masterpiece, handcrafted honoring the raw material, respecting every thread, every seam, every fold. A design infused with the DNA of La Martina, which takes up the codes of polo: the rough beauty of the harnesses, the lived leather of the bridles, the moving fringes, the protection of the saddle pads — all elements that, silently, guard the spirit of the game.
The works were curated under the creative vision of Antonella Di Pietro, Creative Director of La Martina, who combines design, tradition and Argentine heritage in a single powerful narrative. “This project celebrates the moment before the action — a tribute to the elegance of stillness and the soul of the player,” says Di Pietro.
“It’s also a way to honor the human stories behind each object — their materials, their makers and their meaning.”
To complete the installation, La Martina introduces a limited-edition capsule collection of upcycled polos, made in collaboration with Palingen, a social enterprise that provides training and employment opportunities to women in prison through the art of tailoring. Each polo is revisited and deconstructed by hand using discarded materials and La Martina archive materials, transforming waste into beauty and giving a second chance to both fabrics and people.
