We have been asked how can one make up for the lack of meetings and opportunities for the want of Salone del Mobile Milano 2020, and whether showcasing our latest news through some other channel might be an option. We answered that one of the principles that underpin our identity is waiting for the right time.

We do that in our production too. We have happened to work on projects for years before we put them on the market. Of a sofa, we have made tens of prototypes, sometimes differing in a few tiny details that were barely noticeable at first glance. The challenge we always set for ourselves is creating items that do meet the new requirements of our habitat and staying ahead of the game, if we can, while keeping up to date. It’s not easy but it’s the only way to go if we want to achieve the greatest quality in the production of designer items, in the deepest sense of the word. This prevents us from chasing trends ‘at all costs’. There is a time for everything.

he Salone del Mobile.Milano is double sided. On one side, it is one of its kind. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet. It’s Milan welcoming us. It’s Italy being the best version of itself. It can’t be replaced with anything else. On the other side, it marks the time for new products. This system led us to showcase our latest news, year after year. Sometimes unnecessary ones. And not just in interior design. The Salone might turn into a race, the eagerness to be at the event right in time may unfavourably affect quality.

That is one of the reasons why we decided to postpone the presentation of our latest news to 2021. The collection is ready, but, to launch a product, the right time is the one when we can really make it known to our buyers, to the press, to people in general, who can see it, touch it, feel how comfortable it is. We will be waiting, aware that our collection is timeless. 

We never state the year in which our products have been launched. We take a timeless approach to our projects.

We are all part of one and the same flow, the distinction between old and new pieces makes no sense. For instance, this year, we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Flower’s Collection and the twentieth anniversary of the Flap. With the Getsuen and the Rose Chair, Masanori Umeda reconnects design with nature after the 70s industrialisation. With the Flap, Francesco Binfaré makes the sofa a versatile item, for the person who uses it and for the space in which it stands. Two themes that sound more relevant than ever, nowadays.

Time gives, time takes away. We want to make the most of it. 

Pierluigi Masini A professional journalist, with a degree in Italian literature and a specialisation in Art History, two master’s degrees in Marketing and Communication, he teaches Design History at Raffles Milano and Interior Design and Sustainability at YACademy. He is the author of a book about Gabriella Crespi.