Milan has something no other European city can claim: a deep connection with the surrounding Alps. On clear days, the snow-covered peaks seem almost within reach, framed by the spires of the Duomo.
In the early 20th century, Milan shaped Vitale Bramani, the alpinist and entrepreneur behind Vibram. First a talented mountaineer, he later founded Vibram and revolutionized mountain footwear with the Carrarmato sole in 1937.
This winter, Vibram invites the outdoor community, cultural and design professionals, journalists, and opinion leaders to explore the bond between Milan and the Alps. Through events, installations, talks, and excursions, the company celebrates the city and the mountains as sources of inspiration values that defined Bramani’s vision and still guide Vibram today.
The program features renowned alpinists, cultural voices, installations, talks, and excursions, held in locations tied to Vibram’s history, from Milan Central Station to the mountains of Lombardy. It tells the story of mountain culture across generations and perspectives, highlighting Milan and the Alps as a cornerstone of Vibram’s identity.
Energia vitale.
A visual journey between Milano and the Alps.
A story made of departures and returns, of people and places that seek each other.
Told in chapters, the film explores the deep connection between the city and its mountains through diverse perspectives — athletes, poets, witnesses, and descendants all bound by a shared vitality.
Historic climbing routes first opened by Vitale Bramani, alpinist and Vibram founder, are repeated by today’s climbers: Barbara Zangerl on the Pale di San Martino, Matteo della Bordella in Valle Maira, and Pietro Vidi on the Pizzo Badile. These ascents mark the meeting point between alpinism past and present.
The story is enriched by Colomba Fasana’s moving recollections of Bramani, and by the poetry of Antonia Pozzi, where the silent beauty of the mountains mirrors the vibrant energy of the city.
Closing the circle, Matteo Bramani, Vitale’s great-grandson, travels from the Duomo of Milan to the Grignetta with mountain guide Paolo Marazzi, by train and bicycle, to climb the Via degli Accademici, first opened in 1924.
Energia vitale A visual journey between Milano and the Alps is the thread that ties these stories together, embodied by Vibram, the authentic bridge between urban and alpine worlds.
As part of the Mountains of Milan event series, the film offers a cinematic journey through Vibram’s pioneering role as a connector of places, times, and people.
Discovering the Spirit of the Mountains
October 16, 2025
Prealpi Lecchesi, Campelli Group
An excursion to discover the mountain landscapes surrounding Milan, guided by alpinist and Vibram athlete Matteo Della Bordella, the Vibram Tester Team, and local mountain guides; a day dedicated to sharing, adventure, and respect for the mountain environment. The route, accessible to everyone, also offered the opportunity to challenge oneself on vertical sections, with the chance to try climbing.
After the activities, the group visited Rifugio Lecco, an authentic symbol of the region and a key meeting point for mountain enthusiasts, stopping for lunch to enjoy traditional high-altitude cuisine.
An immersive experience in the heart of Milano
October 9, 2025
Milano Centrale Station
Echoes of Altitude is an immersive installation of sounds and scents: the Fonetica Glaciale project, an acoustic mapping of the Adamello glacier by sound artist Neunau, intertwined with the olfactory intervention of artist Sissel Tolaas. Together with culinary tastings prepared by Altatto, these elements will spark an intimate reflection on the mountain and evoke the sensation of altitude.
The evening will open at 6.30pm with a conversation featuring Neunau, Sissel Tolaas, Giovanni Baccolo and Ruggero Pietromarchi, who will moderate the conversation, guiding the dialogue between art, research and science.
Neunau is the sound research project of artist Sergio Maggioni whose ongoing work Fonetica Glaciale transforms over 15,000 hours of sound recordings, gathered across ten expeditions to the Adamello Glacier, into an auditory experience.
Sissel Tolaas is a Norwegian-Icelandic artist and scientist who has spent over three decades exploring the role of smell in human perception and memory.
Giovanni Baccolo is a researcher in glaciology and cold-environment Earth sciences at the University of Roma Tre, author of I Ghiacciai Raccontano and member of the Italian Glaciological Committee.
Ruggero Pietromarchi is a curator and cultural promoter, founder of Threes Productions and Terraforma festival.
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