A coffee with Gianluigi Ricuperati

Gianluigi Ricuperati is an Italian writer , essayist , and cultural curator, renowned for his work at the intersection of literature, contemporary art, and reflections on popular culture . He regularly collaborates with leading media outlets such as La Repubblica , Domus , GQ , and Il Sole 24 Ore , and is the author of several books exploring contemporary cultural shifts .

In 2025, he curated K-Way's international cultural project for the brand's 60th anniversary, In Y/Our Life – The Hidden Side of Everyday Things . Through this traveling exhibition, he conceived a narrative that brought design, art, and everyday objects into dialogue, affirming K-Way's positioning as a cultural as well as heritage brand.

Lionel Giraud, founder of Momus, asks him about his relationship with coffee , seen as a cultural ritual, a meeting place and the starting point of conversation.

 

Lionel : What does K-Way represent for you?

Gianluisi : K-Way is particularly important for France, but also for Italy. I remember it very well: school trips in the 80s. And I like the idea of bringing together high culture and popular culture.

 

Lionel : Yes, it's very popular.

 

Gianluisi : So we have incredibly prestigious artists and cultural figures. Yesterday, we had a discussion with the director of contemporary culture at the Louvre , Donatien Grau , and at the same time, we organized a party, a hip-hop or street culture party. I find it interesting to create this atmosphere that brings together tribes and people from different backgrounds.

Lionel : What does Momus mean to you?

Gianluisi : There is a radio program in Italy dedicated to opera and music called Momus, the Café dell'Opera .

Lionel : Yes, because Momus, the Momus café, was in Puccini's La Bohème , in the second chapter.

Gianluisi : Every Saturday morning, on Radio 3 , the Italian public cultural radio station, there's this fantastic program about opera and music, but it's very pleasant. It's a bit like a conversation . I really like it. For me, Momus has always been like that.

 

Lionel : Momus associated with music.

 

Gianluisi : There's another facet to coffee culture , and that's the encounter . So, every time you mention coffee in a conversation, you're mentioning the beginning, the trigger for a conversation. You're simply saying, " Let's go get a coffee ." It can be the start of a new adventure, or a moment when we solve a problem. So, we need to get a coffee.

Lionel : This could be the beginning or the end of something.

Gianluisi : Or simply an important stage where you sit down and concentrate. I like the Dionysian side of life, but... I think coffee is different from other drinks , because you obviously have to drink it in moderation. I used to drink a lot of coffee.

Lionel : Thank you very much.

 

Gianluisi's perfect match: "To accompany his new adventures, Gianluisi chose the Carbòn blend