Italian for beginners

Making the trek to Milan in April is on every design lover’s wish list. For those of us who have been living vicariously, seven companies from the Italian Chair District visited Cape Town recently giving us the chance to enjoy a mini Salone.

Moroso

If you’re in design and you don’t know Moroso, well, we have no words. Every furniture designer who is anyone has worked with Moroso, from Tom Dixon and Ron Arad to Mark Newson and Javier Mariscal. At this year’s Salone, the company won the Milano Design Award for best exhibition project for its showroom installation by Patricia Urquiola. Moroso alone is enough to get us into our Prada gear, and there’s still six more…

Gervasoni

Like many an Italian furniture producer, Gervasoni is a third-generation family business that excels at high production values. Keeping it fresh and on the edge is artistic director Paola Navone – one of the most legendary women in Italian design.

Tonon

With its creative craftsmanship dating back to the 1920s, Tonon’s quality standard wasn’t compromised in the least by industrialisation in the 1950s. This explains why, although absolutely modern, the aesthetic is more classical than innovative or trendy.

Potocco

Potocco produces quality Italian chairs in classical forms, with just a subtle twist to make you look again. Functionality, great design and affordability are its priorities, not to mention a love of wood – and who doesn’t love wood at the moment?

Domitalia

A thoroughly Italian furniture producer, Domitalia’s stable of designers is all, well, Italian. Specialising in chairs, tables and occasionals, its signature style is modern with an emphasis on distinctive practicality and large orders.

Frag

When it comes to leather, nobody does it like Frag. The company specialises in transforming traditional hides into versatile, modern pieces. And while cutting-edge production methods are used, each piece is hand-finished.  

Fornasarig

The only company that wasn’t present at this year’s Salone, Fornasarig focuses solely on the contract sector – hotels, restaurants, theatres, schools, libraries, conference rooms and ships. We could do with a dose of their chic minimalism any day!