With a well-established design pedigree dating back centuries, Italian brands and designers have played major roles in many design movements—and continue to do so to this day.
In conjunction with The Design Event, we are shining a spotlight on Italy. Read on below, as we explore how the phrase “Made in Italy” has always been synonymous with world-class craftsmanship, luxurious materials and avant-garde thinking.
The Origin Story of Italian Design: Rooted in Tradition and Luxury
I believe that the foundation of the “Made in Italy” brand is the willingness–typical of Italian entrepreneurs–to take risks.
It is an approach that requires making choices: the choice to invest, to turn ideas into reality, while maintaining a constant dialogue between the entrepreneur and–in my world–the designer or architect.
No architect, no designer, no graphic designer, in fact, no creative professional in the world can do their job without an entrepreneur–ideally an Italian one–on the other side.
Piero Lissoni
A New Era of Innovation: Italian Design Gets Radical
Shogun Table Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide
“I always have a Greek word in mind, tèchne, it’s the passion for knowledge, the passion for doing. It’s the key to European culture, it merges humanism and science, past, present and future.
It’s the core of “Made in Italy,” the combination of innovation, culture, knowledge, creativity, manufacturing and know-how.”
Carlotta de Bevilacqua
Modern Icons of Italian Design: Cutting Edge, Classic and Elegant
Arco K Limited Edition 60th Anniversary Floor Lamp by Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for FLOS
Design, innovation, sustainability: FLOS has a storied history and a bright future. High concept and highly desirable, the brand has produced icon after modern-lighting icon since its inception in 1962 in Murano, Italy.
Arco K Limited Edition 60th Anniversary Floor Lamp by Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for FLOS
“We breathe Italian heritage everywhere. It’s something very automatic… like when you are born by the sea, you know how to swim. It’s everywhere in the company, in the people, in the spirit and in the feeling”
More Brands to Discover
Founder Renzo Frau established Poltrona Frau in Turin in 1912 and has spent the past century establishing the brand as a global leader in premium leather products. Known for their exhaustive devotion to high-quality craftsmanship, Poltrona relies on a 21-step leather tanning process rather than the industry standard 12-15 step procedure, resulting in a catalog of legendary designs. Today, the Poltrona Frau team remains firmly entrenched in the philosophy that human hands are the most advanced technology on the planet, and still produces every piece entirely by hand.
Born in 1994, Slamp is the brainchild of Roberto Ziliani and artistic director Nigel Coates. Together, the pair established Slamp as a design-forward firm with a focus on innovative architectural designs like the Slamp tube and Fiorella collections. Their innovative chandeliers, made entirely from plastic materials, imbue life into recognizable shapes like cacti and flowers, giving a sense of life to spaces through cascades of light.
From its inception in 1972, Terzani Illumination has integrated age-old Italian artistry with cutting-edge technology to create dazzling light fixtures. At its core, Terzani believes in the value of both tradition and innovation which is why the firm today includes designs in two collections: The avant-garde Precious Design collection and classically made Memory collection. While the team originally produced traditional handcrafted lamps using Tuscan wood, iron and Murano glass, their contemporary collections include materials like delicate metal chains, layers of gold and silver leaf, and shimmering crystal “pins.”
In the village of Carugo, just a short drive from Milan, Enrico Cappellini founded his now-eponymous brand from a small workshop in 1946. Ever since, and with the help of his son Giulio, his furniture designs have become beacons for Italian design worldwide. Providing a distinct perspective, Cappellini’s eclectic catalog includes everything from seating to tables and cabinets. Their designs always combine simplicity with detail, resulting in energetic pieces that give life to the spaces they inhabit.
Marrying technical expertise with supreme Italian design aesthetics, LODES has become synonymous with innovative Italian lighting design. Established in 1950 by Angelo Tosetto, LODES—previously recognized as Studio Italia Design—specializes in developing interior and exterior lighting solutions. Celebrating Angelo Tosetto’s love for glass, all LODES glass lighting fixtures are carefully handcrafted in Murano.
Only at Lumens
We find design to be enlightening and The Edit is where you’ll find that enlightenment. Consider it our digital salon where we philosophize on the latest trends and how to get The Look, converse with The Makers behind our favorite designs, feature The Brands we love, write The Guides on everything from layering lighting to buying outdoor furniture and bring you the latest trade news at The Ledger.
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