To change without transforming, to update without losing touch with the past. The path of Molinari Design could be summed up in this statement of intent. After 34 years, the brand founded by the Molinari family in the province of Trento takes a more emphatic, energetic contemporary approach, reflected in the new image and furniture collections, before setting off on an unprecedented voyage into the future: new corporate identity, new logo, a series of products based on stylistic, aesthetic and methodological evolution (after a debut during last year’s Supersalone in Milan), to open the way for a true “factory of ideas.” Nevertheless, all this would not be possible without solid roots in the past, anchored to values like craftsmanship, attention to detail, creativity, research on lines and materials (first of all leather, with natural textures and vegetable tanning, made in Florence).
“In over 30 years we have always been ourselves, convinced that the choices made at the outset, the intuitions of my parents, are still valid today – says Massimo Molinari, President of Molinari Design. – But we have never stopped evolving, year after year, watching developments on international markets, and the changing necessities of contemporary consumers. We are certain that the past is essential in order to build an even stronger future.”
Drawing on this deep know-how and interacting with the imaginative vision of the young English designer Lucy Kurrein, Molinari Design has formulated a daring collection, reflecting the new corporate pathway from past to future by playing with contrasts: the finest leathers, the true forte of the brand’s production, this year also with water-repellent leathers, are combined with glossy materials, coated in unexpected colors. These oppositions generate the particular dynamism of the final result. These characteristics can be seen in the Bibendum and Modular sofas, along with the Compagna chair.
Bibendum, with its Sixties lines, is composed of double cushions literally wrapped by a thin shell (in recyclable polyurethane) with a slight curvature. The functional modular design is also remarkable: each seat is an independent chair, supported by a swiveling cylindrical structure, which can be assembled with others to create always changing compositions.
Art and sculpture are the inspirations behind the Modular sofa, made with elementary forms (circles, squares and rectangles) underlined by clearly visible stitching. A suspended creation, visually rigorous but soft to the touch, made for absolute comfort.
Modular by Lucy Kurrein, Molinari Design
Compagna by Lucy Kurrein,
Molinari Design
Along the lines of a forceful theatrical presence, the Compagna chair is also based on the styling of the Sixties and Seventies. Large leather-covered cushions are set into a luxurious shell with a glossy finish, built around their forms and completed by wheels at the four extremities: everything suggests a convivial role for this model.
“For us, quality is not just the visible aspect of a product, its form and its covering – Massimo Molinari continues. – It also has to do with what is hidden, the materials of the product itself, the upholstery, the shell, the inner support. Everything has to contribute to make the product distinctive and excellent, exceptional in its force and character.” In the meantime, this is just a sample of the fascinating directions taken by Molinari, looking forward to the new creations for 2022.
