Farewell mass product, welcome customization. Exclusiveness is the latest trend, a concept which many are already familiar with, however one of the applications of this trend is certainly original and never seen before, namely digital embroidery. The experiment, if we can label it as such, was jointly conducted by MDF Italia and architect Paola Silva Coronel with the contribution of its “digital artisans”, above all Anna Monti.
Several iconic pieces in the MDF Italia collections have been reinterpreted in the processing of their outer coating, using embroidery machines made by Tajima, a Japanese brand exclusively distributed by Studio Auriga, which enable full customization of a product through applications, embroidery and carvings on leathers and fabrics (including thick materials such as 5 mm leather), a process that can even be carried out on the finished product. This technique has already been used in fashion.
In her experimental project, Paola Silva Coronel – whose father worked for Olivetti, leading to her passion for the digital world, having been raised in the profession and in teaching with masters such as Ezio Manzini, Andrea Branzi and Michele De Lucchi, with whom she teaches at Milan Polytechnic – chose to take inspiration from the geometric lines of MDF Italia’s famous, award-winning Random bookcase, which has become the decorative theme of various furnishing products.
The result has been exclusively presented in the brand’s showroom in Milan: the Flow chairs and Pad 3.0 armchairs have been decorated with laser incisions; the cushions that embellish the Yale sofa have been decorated with quilting and cording applications; while the armchair in the same collection adopts a new identity with a delicate and incisive embroidered texture.
The showpiece is the Mia armchair, which is customised with stylish cross-stitch embroidery on the floral-themed finished lining: star of the “Rosae, rosarum, rosis” project, the armchair designed by Francesco Bettoni was selected and exhibited at the 21st International Triennial.
«We are at a time when serial products become unique pieces: digital technologies limit long product runs and allow you to intervene with industrial products by introducing decoration as a distinctive element – explains architect Silva Coronel – Nowadays, creativity must use all available technologies to obtain the best result. Hand-made products are not necessary better. Ideas must lead to the best result: a cross-stich embroidered rose becomes a decorative element which, by changing the original identity of the armchair, makes it unique».
