If we consider the importance attributed by Marcel Wanders and Gabriele Chiave, the Studio’s Creative Director, to the humanistic aspect of design and the relationship which develops between designers, craftsmen and users, it is easy to understand the strong affinity with Pasquale Natuzzi Junior and a company like Natuzzi Italia, focused on the research of harmony. Indeed this relationship has culminated in two collections: “Agronomist” and “Oceanographer”, containing various types of products, united by a common thread: Puglia.
“I met Marcel in Milan about two years ago and after meeting on several occasions in Puglia and Amsterdam, we began discussing a possible collaboration and the path to take together. Our meeting brought together two people with a profound understanding for each other and who resolved to create something that could offer a new outlook on the heritage and style of Natuzzi Italia. The sofas, furniture and objects from both collections designed by Marcel Wanders have a strong connection with iconic elements of our land. A fishing net inspired the creation of a chair, a sea urchin lent its shape to a set of vases, the rounded lines of a shell were transformed into a sofa base.”
Pasquale Natuzzi Junior, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, describes how he met Wanders and how he conveyed the values, colours, aromas and everything else which makes their local culture unique, to the designer.
Apart from Wanders, there are also other collaboration. “Bellini designed a majestic round table called Torsion, featuring a weave of six solid olive wood petals as a base which open out to support the glass top. We will also have our own futuristic living project designed by Mauro Lipparini, based on smart home and Internet of Things principles. We’ll also present interesting new additions for the bedroom, with the collection designed by Bernhardt&Vella, along with a new sofa characterised by extremely soft and rounded shapes, created by Michele Menescardi”.
Natuzzi Italia is always looking for new challenges. 2019 will mark the company’s sixtieth anniversary and the aim is to celebrate it with a flourish of new ideas. Pasquale Natuzzi Juniour concludes: “We’re working on a series of collaborations and initiatives which can celebrate Natuzzi’s history and values in a unique and memorable way. Our idea is to create an innovative, experientially holistic path bringing together design and communication, interactive events and projects, to thrill and involve our brand lovers”.
