The Artisans

Maurizio Navone was born in Turin and studied architecture at the Politecnico in Turin and design at the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan. After working at the office of Corporate Identity Olivetti in his formative years, he started his own brand, specializing in corporate and product design. In 2001 he created Restart, a brand that produces sustainable objects in limited series. His pieces are minimalist and sophisticated for a contemporary home.

Francesco Giannini and Gianni Parenti created the company Il Papiro in Florence in 1976, inspired by their passion for the tradition of decorated paper of their native city and the ancient techniques used to produce it. The high quality of the materials and the excellent manufacturing of each piece makes Il Papiro successful around the world. Using hand marbling, lithography, letterpress, and hand engraving, these artisans create exquisite objects to pass down for generations.

Monica Gasperini was born in a small town by Rimini, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. She studied architecture in Florence and is an architect and designer specialized in many projects in Europe, USA and all around the world, both in private homes and public spaces such as stores, restaurants, and hotels. Her line of furniture features timeless pieces of exquisite artisanal craftsmanship that are sophisticated and modern, inspired by the art deco style.

Since Cleto Munari encountered architect Carlo Scarpa in 1973, he has directed all his research and activities towards industrial design, working for important companies around the world, continuously searching for inspiration, ideas and original projects. Cleto Munari is open to analysis and experimentation of forms and materials. His objects, specifically those made of gold and silver, are present in the permanent collections of many important museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Vetrerie di Empoli was founded in 1936 by the Parentini family, who still own the company and are now in their third generation. Since the early 1900s, it has been creating innovative, handcrafted products, including two patented designs. Today, the company has an international distribution network thanks to its innovative, highly artisanal products, deeply inspired by Tuscan and Italian cultural and craft traditions.

Marco Pollice, the art director of his namesake brand, specialized in lighting engineering at the Politecnico in Milan and worked for many years in his family business. He represents the fourth generation of a family that has made invaluable contributions to the world of lighting in Italy since 1908. Focusing on design and custom-made lighting, his award winning projects include public and private illuminations. He also teams up with some of the most renowned designers to create exquisite and timeless pieces.

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you make": this vision is an integral part of the Granchi family DNA. For over 100 years an artistic DNA has been flowing in this family where the passion for creation, the unpredictability of the idea, the love for beauty are the fundamental concepts that give life to the creations. Today Simone and Francesca Granchi are the second generation, they introduce innovative processes and experiment with new combinations bringing the company to express itself on custom designs.

Created in 1991 in Treviso, a town 20 km from Venice, VGnewtrend gets inspiration from far away cultures, architectural forms, and the finest Italian craftsmanship. The functional pieces of design that VG creates are unique, exclusive, and made of precious materials. They are expressions of a refined luxury that is the result of continuous research. This way, the furniture “transforms the space in a truly multi-sensorial experience”.

Sbigoli Terrecotte was founded in 1857 by the Sbigoli family in the district of Sant'Ambrogio, in Florence, where their workshop was known for its expertise and high quality products, specializing in the production of tableware and furniture. In the 1920’s they moved to the area of Sant’Egidio, where the workshop is today. Still operating according to the traditional Tuscan craftsmanship of Majolica, all pieces bear a Florentine style and a one-of-a-kind flair making them irreplaceable works of art

Meccani Design, created in the 50s, designs and produces home décor objects crafted using artisanal techniques that are the result of three generations of artisans at work in Cascina, by Pisa, Tuscany. These modern pieces of furniture express their strong link with tradition, combined with a contemporary style. Innovation and tradition meet in these objects that are built with great respect for nature, in a sustainable way, and with natural, non-toxic materials, using solid wood: a warm, scented, alive and renewable, solid resource.

With a background in media arts and interactive installations, Silvio Mondino started combining digital technologies with handmade objects. This process of exploration allows this Milan-based artist to experiment, specializing in handcrafted lighting fixtures that are functional pieces of sculptural art. Each piece is assembled by hand and can be customized to fit the client’s needs.

The creations produced at Berdondini, founded by Antonio Berdondini in 1926, have been characterized by their timeless and exclusive designs demonstrating Italian excellence and creativity. Each piece is the result of a lengthy sequence of delicate, precise and rigorous steps, combined with the use of the most valuable materials. Expert artisans, knowledge of history and traditions, and exemplary designs are what make Berdondini’s creations unique and unrepeatable.

At the end of the 80s, Rudy Marinotto started Siru in the striking location of Lido in Venice, creating a world suspended between the timeless tradition of Murano mouth-blown glass and a modern and elegant sensibility. Here the masterful art of making Venetian lanterns that has been passed down for centuries meets a contemporary approach to create one-of-a-kind, exquisite, precious objects that keep a glorious past alive while being utterly modern.

Braganti was created in the 60s as a small workshop in Florence’s artisanal district of San Frediano. The workshop grew but it remained there to this day, continuing to produce exquisite sterling silver artifacts, following the ancient Florentine tradition. Care for details, perfect finishes, and sophisticated style characterize the traditional pieces, such as silverware and home decorations, and also the collections added after the acquisition of the Del Conte company in 2010. Braganti collaborates with several luxury brands, interior designers and renowned architects.

Since 1892, the mission of La Permanente Mobili Cantù has always been to have constant exhibitions creating appropriate spaces where artisans can exhibit their artifacts of interior design and present them to the right clientele while maintaining the artisans’ ownership of their products. They work alongside The Scuola d’Arte e Mestieri providing the artisans with manual and executive skills and technical knowledge. The quality of these products are appreciated nationally and internationally and many top designers turn to Cantù workshops to have their ideas brought to life.

Born in Naples in 1954, Paolo studied architecture at the Politecnico in Milan, where he now lives and works. After a career as a photographer, he traveled to India in 1993 and lived there till 1999, founding I+I, a company that produces handmade pieces. He now continues experimenting both in photography and design, concentrating predominantly on the production of exquisite rugs and other objects in limited series characterized by an ethnic charm. These iconic pieces combine innovative technologies and the excellence of handcrafted artisanal methods.

Founded by Massimiliano Sernissi (called Leone) with daughters Simona and Valentina, Leone is one of the most important restoration workshops in Florence, frequented by collectors, antique dealers and museums. Leone specializes also in making frames and mirrors that are entirely hand crafted using techniques known since the 14th century and gilded with a gouache finish in pure gold. The most important museums in the world, among which the MET in New York, the Uffizi in Florence and the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, display art framed in pieces made or restored by Leone.

The Saladini has been a family of master knife-makers since the 19th century operating in Scarperia, a small village by Florence known for its artisanal knife production since the early 14th century. This long tradition creates exquisite and unique pieces, made with the finest materials, attention to details, and meticulous handmade craftsmanship. Along with the traditional Tuscan knives, Saladini also produces pieces for the dining table, accesso-ries for the kitchen and other objects that combine functionality and creativity.

In 1939 the Bagnara family started producing household items, and began specializing in high-end pieces starting in 1973. In 1999 Giorgio Bagnara started producing leather goods under the name B. Home Interiors and changed its name to Giobagnara in 2014. Appointed as “the encyclopedia of luxury leather goods”, this brand epitomizes exquisitely crafted leather home décor items. These sophisticated and eclectic pieces of functioning design are hand crafted with the finest materials whose colors and finishes can also be completely customized.

This historical company was created in Milan in 1969 under the name of its founder, Rudi Rabitti. In 2015, GioBagnara acquired it and launched it with its new name that highlights its prestigious history and tradition. The fine leather used to craft these sophisticated pieces of design is dyed with vegetable pigments to create the iconic saddle leather with its characteristic genuine look and soft touch. These precious and functional objects will make everyday life special, enriching a home with exquisite charm.