The Artisans

Italian artist Clara Holt creates magnificent, one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces that feature her original drawings. Clara's work focuses on storytelling, in the ongoing impulse to tell and convey stories, characters and experiences, often inspired by mythology, folk traditions, legends, real or fantastic tales. Each character is transformed into an entirely personal representation, and each work is peppered with hints of her own experience. Clara has exhibited her pieces in Italy and abroad and she currently lives in Milan.

Merging art and design in striking contemporary sculptural items, Castones was founded in 2020 by architect and designer Erica Zanella. Capturing the concept of space, each piece is distinguished by an emptied silhouette whereby the void truly gives shape to the object, allowing the spirit of the maker and the imagination of the viewer to reveal the nature of the piece. Castones are handcrafted solid gypsum monoliths reminiscent of stones: mixed only with water, they evoke natural, primitive shapes that capture the rock’s plasticity.

Founded in 2007 in Cava de’ Tirreni, a city on the outskirts of the Amalfi Coast, Mediterranea Design is a multidisciplinary brand whose core mission is building a future where digital technologies and craftsmanship walk hand-in-hand. Guided by high sustainability standards, the brand focuses on proactive research for avant-garde techniques by computation processes, a method revealing artful, tailor-made collections. Stools, dining chairs, and ceramic vases are just some of the designs it presents that embody the special bond between digitalization and artisan mastery.

Bathed by warm copper hues and the sound of a hammer beating an anvil, Navarini Rame is the Navarini family’s museum-workshop based in Ravina, near Trento, Italy. Artisans follow traditional craftsmanship techniques passed down generations, infusing their kitchen and tableware collections with nostalgic charm evoked by the rustic silhouettes. Founded in 1958 by Pierino Navarini, the brand is now in its second generation, guided by the creative direction of his three sons.

Founded in 1978 by Basilio Sanna and his wife Elisabetta, Sartapp specializes in the design and creation of magnificent Sardinian rugs from Samugheo, Sardinia. Spread across three different ateliers across the Sardinian region, artisans deftly interweave a rich, traditional patrimony with a contemporary aesthetic sensibility. Meticulous craftsmanship is revealed in the superb, delicate details that enrich each rug.

Minimalist lines and an innovative spirit define the furniture pieces by Milan-based design brand Myin. Transforming the idea of “interior design” into that of “a design of interiority”, Myin takes pride in their deep study of the functional elements of objects as well as the individuals who use them. Essential exteriors open to reveal singular creativity in the prints enhancing their interiors, deftly made using digital technologies. Myin embraces a novel interpretation of design: a design “of the soul” merging the pursuit of style with a conceptual artistic approach.

Boasting over a century of history and passion, Testi Group is a family-run business that seeks to celebrate marbles and natural stones through meticulous research and innovation. Based in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella, its collections feature singular, first-rate pieces following novel, sustainable procedures rooted in traditional methods. In particular, the Collection Testi Edizioni focuses entirely on sustainability, using recycled materials to create one-off furniture that does not compromise on sophistication.

Founded in 2018, NOT.Ordinary is the brainchild of Ferruccio Laviani and Felice Rizzotti born from the desire to create a design brand whose production is rooted in local Sicilian traditions. Driven by meticulous and thorough research into form and style, NOT.Ordinary embodies high-quality Italian craftsmanship through its collections of traditional Moor’s heads, vases, cabinets and interior decor pieces.

Designer Enrico Girotti embodies artistry in its highest form. Trained in Industrial Design in Venice, his creations capture how technology and creativity ceaselessly interact and influence each other in the creative and production processes. This approach reveals iconic designs that - from ideation to assembly - are carefully studied and detailed. A designer for L'Oreal Paris and Artemide, he established his own brand in 2017 to express his personal design philosophy without creative constraints, constantly experimenting with materials, methods, and shapes.

Harnessing heritage techniques used by great Italian artisans, Estro Collezioni integrates smart technology, lighting, and life-enhancing touches with furniture crafted in the finest Italian-sourced materials. Founded by friends and collaborators Alla Tereshchuk and Paolo Ciacci, Estro Collezioni reflects their vision and passion for fine Italian furniture design and exceptional craftsmanship.

Art courses through the veins of born-and-bred Milanese Alice Corbetta. After pursuing painting at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, her career took off following a series of original engravings made for the “Lunaria'' book by writer Antonio Mercurio. In the ‘90s she gravitated towards textile design, collaborating with renowned brands in the fashion industry. After several years of curating rug collections, she moved to Tuscany in 2007 to conduct in-depth research on surface and matter. Her experimental pieces are showcased in public and private exhibitions and art galleries.

Transforming thermoplastic waste from SPA S.p.A. into singular light fixtures is the challenge sister-artist duo Carolina and Isabella Candelo decided to embrace with Dixpari. Their collections include a range of table, wall, and modular designs defined by various colors, shapes, and stylistic inspirations. Invisible threads of art and light intertwine in every lamp, where light is the means for emphasizing the beauty of our surroundings. Each striking piece celebrates the ethics of sustainability with its re-used materials while not compromising on exclusivity.

Based in Brooklyn, Miduny is the brainchild of Italian architect and product designer Alessandro Preda. In a small workshop in the Dumbo district, in 2010 Alessandro started to channel his avant-garde flair into his designs, experimenting with materials to create furniture that adapted to the fast pace of modern life without sacrificing style. Inspired by Brescia’s rich manufacturing tradition where Alessandro grew up, each piece is designed and prototyped in Brooklyn and handcrafted by a family of master artisans in Italy. Officially launched in 2018 at the ICFF of New York, Miduny combines tradition with innovation and top-rate materials from certified suppliers. Alessandro has a Master’s in Architecture from Harvard University.

Raffaella Bandera left a promising career in Economics in 2004 after setting her heart on art and craftsmanship. She began experimenting with resins and silicone rubbers and ultimately focused on pottery for the multi-sensory, tactile experience and versatility offered by the medium. What began as a passion project with one-off pieces and small limited series is now a lifestyle. Bandera’s fresh approach is reflected in the choice of different materials, revealing designs conceived with originality, beauty, and sustainability in mind.

The creative vision of its founder sowed the seeds for Viganò & C. to become an internationally-acclaimed brand renowned for its one-off seating collections for domestic and contract spaces since 1961. Many original designs followed their iconic “armchair with a hole”, all always conceived to impeccably balance aesthetic and ergonomic quality. Located in the heart of the Brianza district, Viganò & C. produces top-rate designs satisfying the most demanding quality standards using a curated selection of prized raw materials such as wood, metals, and leather.

Founded in 2020 by Giorgia Bartolini alongside art director Vincenzo Castellana, Orografie reinterprets centuries of Sicilian traditional craftsmanship in timeless and refined contemporary furnishing items. Fashioned of locally sourced wood, stone, and ceramics in minute detail following traditional techniques handed down generations by local artisans, Orografie transforms the natural essence of raw materials into singular, striking designs that will find a home in modern and traditional interiors.

Every year, seven master artisans at Francesco Maglia Ombrelli - Milano, a historic luxury brand established in 1854 and based in Milan since 1876, craft 3000 exclusive umbrellas. Named after its founder, the company is now run by Giorgio Maglia and Francesco Maglia, the fifth and sixth generations, respectively. Each umbrella embodies a commitment to tradition and versatility, reflected in the exceptional tailored details and bespoke designs. Made to withstand the test of time, these umbrellas will give a distinctive touch to formal and casual ensembles even on the gloomiest of days.

Created by architects Paolo d’Alessandro and Marco Malgarini, dAM Atelier is an innovative brand renowned for its minimalist aesthetic approach to furniture design. Pure and timeless, their design ethos embraces the continuous, iterative process of adding and subtracting information, one that combines different and contrasting raw elements into unexpectedly harmonious, modular compositions of bold geometric and architectural value.

Founded in response to the fears and restrictions emerging during the pandemic, Codega is a brand specialized in “multipurpose lamps” that seek to improve people’s quality of life. Enhancing comfort, safety, and well-being, the Serena Collection of indoor LED lamps bears a distinctive tech quality: combining the visual, biological, and emotional effects of light, each piece can synchronize people’s biological clocks or sanitize surfaces and environments.

In Casa by Paboy is a homeware social enterprise based in Naples, Italy. Born in Serrekunda, the Gambia, Paboy Bojang learned the secrets of weaving from his uncle as a child. Living under a brutal dictatorship, Bojang left home in search of a future, arriving in Italy in July 2015 after a harrowing two-year journey. Frustrated by the lockdown, in 2020 he began crafting cushion covers using repurposed fabrics and an old sewing machine. A year later, he now employs fellow migrants and hopes to be a torchbearer for others to escape exploitative labor and build bright futures.