What kind of lifestyle do your collections express?
The distinguishing features of the Minotti style are timeless design, unrivalled comfort and the dependability and longevity of our products. Minotti encapsulates the true meaning of the “made in Italy” concept, with the brand seamlessly merging tradition and technology in its production. As well as our know-how, we are also passionate about unearthing the most suitable materials and technological solutions for each piece. We have a love for impeccable detail and an idealistic thirst for excellence.
What influence has your close relationship with Art Director Rodolfo Dordoni had on the brand’s development?
Our company has been collaborating with Dordoni since 1997. Collection after collection, he has contributed to decisively strengthening the identity of the brand, making style continuity one of its cornerstones. The first collection was only made up of a few pieces, but it was met by immediate, unanimous approval, thus paving the way for a more far-reaching relationship. It’s been such a long-lasting, fruitful partnership because it is rooted in the natural similarities between ourselves and Dordoni. His experience and sense of perception have found particularly fertile ground at our company.
How did you win over the international audience?
The internationalisation process began many years ago, but we started to implement more specific strategies in the early 1990s. In addition to exports to the European countries, we began a period of progressive expansion, particularly in the Americas and Asia. The Minotti sales network now involves nearly 70 countries and includes 31 mono-brand stores, thanks to our recent opening in Miami and imminent new store in Shanghai. We believe that our relatively rapid growth is down to the unique nature of our brand, our perfect balance between innovation and tradition, luxury and simplicity, design and comfort.
Your status in the global panorama is further reinforced by some prestigious interior design projects…
We recently published a book entitled “Interiors all over the world”, with brings together some of the best photos of projects all over the world featuring products from our collections. There is a great variety of projects featured, including residential and hospitality spaces, which shows that our products belong in any setting. The timeless style and grace of our seats confer a modern-elegance style to lounges, waiting rooms, offices, hotels, restaurants, boats and boutiques, showcasing the great contemporaneity and adaptability of the Minotti collections.
What’s your view on the growth of the contract sector in recent years?
We know that the contract sector – especially for the hotel industry – has been growing exponentially for a number of years now, due to globalisation and the increasing number of people travelling both for work and leisure. It was this demanding, cosmopolitan audience that Minotti had in mind when we devised our own hospitality project: an innovative concept featuring a series of products specifically designed and engineered to suit a number of different settings, ranging from lobbies to lounge spaces, bars, restaurants and even complete apartments. We unveiled our Aston collection in 2014, while our Seymour and Lounge Seymour collections were launched at April’s International Furniture Show.
Do you have more hospitality or residential projects in your portfolio? More made-to-measure products or more catalogue products?
Right now, we have many more residential projects than we do in the hospitality sector, but the latter is experiencing strong growth. The majority of projects use products from our catalogue, but we often alter the dimensions and materials of these on request of the client. It’s testament to the superb flexibility of our design, research and development centre.
Is there one project in particular that you are especially proud of?
It’s hard to pick out one or two projects we’re particularly proud of. Our products have a really strong personality and ooze timeless charm, so this generally comes through no matter what project their used in – obviously in perfect synergy with the project concept and spirit of the space in question.
