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Dwell Interview with Patrizia Moroso
There’s a fun interview with Moroso owner, Patrizia Moroso over at Dwell’s Blog. Patrizia is the brains behind this cutting edge Italian furniture company. The world’s most talented designers line up to work for them. She has a good eye for new talent, too. At last year’s Salone, Moroso premiered work from Patricia Urquiola, Ron Arad, and newcomers Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien.
Here’s the start of the interview:
Creative director of the storied Italian furniture manufacturer Moroso, Patrizia Moroso was in San Francisco on Thursday morning at the Dzine showroom to chat with the press about the history of her company—founded by her parents outside Milan in the 1950s—and what we can expect in the future.
A disarming, unpretentious woman, Moroso chattering about this Parisian showroom or that trip to India or how this is her first ever visit to San Francisco. Dressed in a colorful top, loose pants and flat shoes, with short burgundy hair and chunky glasses, she looked like any Italian mother and seemed at greater ease than the bubble skirted, pastel tied and perilously high heeled in attendance. We spoke after things quieted down and I found her pleasant, personable, and happy to chat.
To read the rest of the interview, scoot over to the Dwell blog here.
Verner Panton
The online database and magazine, Architonic, just released a series of articles detailing the life of designer Verner Panton. He’s most famous today for his Panton Chair. Panton was responsible for helping to create the Modern Danish design aesthetic. It’s worth a read - even if it’s just to impress people at your next cocktail party. Being well educated about design is always in style.
I found the interview with his widow, Marianne Panton, to be especially interesting. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it, too. Scroll down from this link to find it.
Marc Newson for SMEG
Italian appliance firm, SMEG is famous for working with Italian designers and architects. Marc Newson is the first non-Italian designer to work with the appliance company.
The new hobs and ovens designed by Marc Newson in stainless steel, glass and in 7 chromatic enamel finishes, were inspired by the desire to create something absolutely new, a look never before seen in the market. Conceived as a true synthesis of the SMEG philosophy technology with style, Newson said he wanted to bring back curved elements, which remind me of sturdy appliance designs from the 1950’s.
After analyzing the present collection of domestic products, Newson decided to begin by designing hobs and ovens – best selling products - in order to leave the strongest and most distinctive imprint on the international market.
Newson’s line for SMEG US will be available in the US in a couple of years.
Jaime Hayon
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to see Spanish designer, Jaime Hayon’s exhibit. But his shoe designs for Camper, and some of his chairs, were featured at the Barcelona Designer’s exhibit, which I wrote about earlier today.
I adore this chair, which Hayon designed and has used in several of his interiors, including for Camper. It’s really fun, isn’t it? It reminds me of those hair salon hair dryer chairs.
Nanimarquina Carpets
Nanimarquina’s carpets are always a beautiful surprise. Her designs celebrate modern design, but with a sense of fun. This year was no different.
My top fave was Rangoli, which takes its name from the classic Hindu mosaics. These are typically found at the entrance of Hindu homes and are symbols are good luck. Rangoli comes in three sizes (each with a slightly different pattern), and two colors.
The aptly named Victoria is a colorful take on a classic, Baroque style. Partida is more minimalist – a series of dots that, from a distance, blend together to form a single color with a path in the center. (more…)
Patricia Urquiola’s Head
As promised, here is a photo of the back of Patricia Urquiola’s head! Suitable for framing to be sure. My friend, Sandra met Patricia a few years ago, so she took a moment to catch up on the news. That’s me with the star-struck look on my face (and oh, I don’t like the way my hair looks either).
I had been hoping for a proper interview, but that will have to wait for another day – not during the Salone – which is a total mad house (of fun).
Emu and Beautiful Outdoor Living
I’m still pleasantly surprised at all the color at this year’s show. I had heard a rumor that there would be lots of glossy black things. Wrong. And, as Yoda would say, “Happy I am.” When we first turned the corner and spotted the Emu Outdoor Collection, we thought, “meh.” But then, soon after (quite soon), I thought of a French garden and happiness. Emu’s new collection is a delight.
Gee, what a surprise that Patricia Urquiola (Arthur took my picture with her standing behind me yesterday - you can’t see her face, but her hair looks nice. Maybe I’ll post it later) designed the Re-Trouvé Collection. Again, here is her wonderful use of color. It’s nice to see feminine designs in a contemporary world.
Paola Navone designed the Ivy Collection. It’s comprised of wire-woven sofas, chairs and tables. Several tables have ceramic tiles, which can be rearranged to suit the mood. This was Arthur’s favorite. Urquiola’s was a bit too girlie for him. I can understand that.
Finally, we both fell in love with this LED, outdoor floor lamp designed by Chiaramonte and Marin. It’s difficult to really appreciate it in a photo. The arms are light and flexible and sway in the wind. Ah, to be in a tropical climate on a hot summer night by the pool with this lamp reflecting romance. Was that last comment just a bit too over-the-top?
You like? Discuss.
Marvelous Moroso
This year Moroso was spectacular. Not everything was a hit, in my humble opinion. I didn’t particularly like Ron Arad’s work. Patricia Urquiola’s Bohemian Collection was not to my liking.But her additions to the Shanghai Tip collection were beautiful.
Bohemian collection - not for me
The new sofas, chairs and settees from the Shanghai Tip Collection are more soft and relaxed. And she sets the gold standard when it comes to intertwining different textiles and pattern.
New, softer sofa
I love this settee, pouf and chair - with their Asian flair and wonderful use of pattern and texture.
Nipa Doshi and Jonothan Levian’s Charpoy Collection was wonderful for these up-and-comers. Definitely not for everyone, but I found them to be lovely, and totally new.
You can see Urquiola’s influence. Their customizable My Beautiful Backside (what a name!) settees are young and cheerful. They used wool and felt because the combination reminded them of old-fashioned clothes with stiff starched collars.
Nipa Doshi sitting on her Beautiful Backside Settee. She’s definitely someone to watch.
I saw copies of Tokujin Yoshioka’s Bouquet Chair throughout the Salone. He says, “I got the idea for Bouquet from the installation I created last October for Moroso’s New York showroom. I used about 30,000 paper tissues to recreate a cloud-like atmosphere.
The Bouquet makes people who sit on it happy, just as a bouquet makes the person who receives it happy. The vibrant, delicate colors trigger different sensations in each of us.”
The chair is a pleasure to sit in. I felt very feminine and wished I were wearing high heels.
Philippe Bestenheider’s collection of Nanook tables (part of a larger furniture collection) were a hit with me. They also remind me of Urquiola’s feminine instincts.
However, Bestenheider says he drew his inspiration from the cold north, and Inuit cultures.
The Moroso exhibit was jammed. Obviously a hit with everyone.
Cicatrices De Luxe 8 Pendant Light
What do you think of this pendant lamp? It’s designed by Philippe Starck. I’m always trying to figure out what he’s thinking when he comes up with these sort of novelties. It reminds me of those cut crystal bowls over at Gradnma’s house. They’re always filled with candy that’s become stuck together and sports a topping of dust.
Maybe this is one of those things that you really have to see to appreciate. I hope so, because it sells for $6,150. As my mother would say, “You could make that yourself.” And you should. But that’s just my humble opinion. At any rate, you can check it our over at Y-Lighting.
The Road To Milan: Autobahn
I’ll be leaving for Milan on Monday for the Salone del Mobile. Autobahn is on my must see list. In addition to their own new designs, they’ll be unveiling new designs by Matthew Hilton.
FLOR and Alexander Girard
Carpet company, FLOR, has licensed designs from the great Alexander Girard to create a bold and colorful new line of carpet squares. Girard designed textiles for Herman Miller, and created Quatrefoil, one of my all-time favorites, for Maharam.
The bold look of Girard’s graphic designs can be mixed and matched with FLOR’s other lines. to create your own, individual look. It’s a great product for a kitchen (above) because it’s so easy to clean, as I can personally testify. I have FLOR carpet in both my office and very snowy (4 more inches last night - grrrrr) side entrance. You just pick up a square and give it a scrub.
The new line can be viewed on FLOR’s site, but it’s not yet available. It will be officially unveiled later this Spring.
The Road to Milan: Emeco
The Aluminum chair company, Emeco, will be introducing Nine-O, a new line of chairs designed by Ettore Sottsass at this year’s Salone in Milan (16 days and counting).
The new design reimagines the original 1006 chair Emeco designed for use on submarines during World War II. Though it seemed to have disappeared there for a while, the original has been in continuous production since 1944.
The Nine-O chair is the last chair designed by Sottsass before his death last December at the age of 90. He never stopped working, and had a particular passion for chairs. He said, “A chair must be really important as an object because my mother always told me to offer a chair to a lady.” Which reminds me that I need to have a talk with my son.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the week of April 16th. I’ll be reporting from the show daily.