Milanese Creative Studio Camera60 Upcycles Xiaomi Phone Packaging into Cross-Body Case

Having caught up with Sunni Colón to explore music, and following Juliette Cassidy’s journey in photography, Xiaomi has teamed up with Milan-based design studio Camera60 Studio to craft a unique phone case out of discarded packaging.

Founded by Matteo Bastiani and Chiara Rivituso over 10 years ago, Camera60 focuses on recreating iconic bag silhouettes by upcycling packaging and other non-traditional materials to promote sustainability. Craftsmanship is at the core of the business’ ethos, and for the pair, it’s what gives them an edge, “Mastery is everything to us. The knowledge, the morale, the technique and history of bags. Everything you know can give you the confidence to make what you do the best,” Rivituso explains.

For this project, Xiaomi enlisted HYPEBEAST to document the design studio as they create a phone case for the Xiaomi 12 Pro smartphone. By deconstructing the phone’s box, the pair were able to craft a cross-body bag complete with metal hardware. Taking inspiration from the landscape and pavements of Milan, Bastiani insists that it’s a person’s perspective that leads design aesthetic, “Everything that surrounds us can be a source of inspiration. For us, it’s all about the attitude to look at things from another point of view.”

Speaking on how the advancement of technology has provided opportunities across the board, Bastiani explains, “We take pictures of things that have caught our attention in everyday life. We put them all together in the camera roll of our phone. It’s a moodboard that changes everyday.” With Rivituso adding, “Technology boosts the possibilities for everyone to be a creator.”

Check out the exclusive interview and behind-the-scenes workings of the phone case in the video above. For more information on the brand and Xiaomi 12 Series smartphones, visit its website.