The Artisans

Luigi Fontana brand was founded in Milan in 1881. In 1931, legendary designer Gio Ponti became artistic director of the company, hiring master glassmaker Pietro Chiesa to guide the brand alongside him: in 1932, FontanaArte was born. With artistic directors Max Ingrand in the ‘50s and Gae Aulenti in the ‘70s at the helm, the company grew whilst maintaining its artisanal soul, collaborating with young and established designers. Today, under the guidance of Giorgio Biscaro, FontanaArte still creates lighting fixtures of striking modernity.

Michele Santalucia began working as a ceramist in workshops in Abruzzo in 1994 and refined his craft in Seville, Spain, where he learned new techniques while working with local historical workshops. In 2006, he returned to Francavilla al Mare near Chieti and opened his own atelier, where he incorporates influences of the classic Andalusian ceramics (“cuerda seca“), the typical decorations of “azulejos“, and the Abruzzo ceramic tradition, from Castelli to Rapino. His unique creations stand out for their quality, refinement, and attention to detail.

Lisa Corti’s established her eponymous Home Textile Emporium in the mid-‘80s in her home in Milan. In 2005, she moved the atelier to a 17th-century former-convent to use both as a store and a creative workshop: a symbolic convergence of Western World and Indian and African influences. Corti designs all her patterns in-house and her pieces are designed in Italy and handprinted in India. All pieces are woven using cotton spun on a wooden loom, then hand-dyed using the ancient manual block print technique, whereby carved wooden blocks are dipped in a different color and pressed onto the fabric.

After learning the trade from local cabinetmakers, brothers Costante and Piero Callesella established their eponymous workshop in 1896 in Cison, near Treviso. In the ‘40s, Costante’s son Angelo moved the atelier to a larger space in the town center and, in1965, the business passed to Giuseppe, one of Angelo’s sons, who worked alongside his two brothers. Now guided by Giuseppe’s children Mauro, Marzia, and Stefano, Callesella is a fourth-generation artisan that proudly continues the family tradition of handmade woodworking to create timeless objects of functional decor.

Domingo Salotti was founded in 1973 in Pesaro by a group of master carpenters and upholsterers. Over the years, the technical and stylistic skills of young professionals have contributed to the company’s leading position in the manufacture of exclusive sofas and armchairs in contemporary and classic styles. Domingo Salotti combines four decades of experience in artisan techniques with a rich knowledge of raw materials and is particularly renowned in the “horeca” sector (hotel, restaurant, and coffee-bar) for its top quality, high versatility, and dynamic style.

Driven by a passion for silver, Angelo Schiavon founded his eponymous company in 1957 in Treviso, following a long apprenticeship in local silversmith's workshops. From fine silver cutlery to artistic pieces, Schiavon produces works of the finest craftsmanship, where classic motifs and modern designs are created by master silversmiths using age-old artistic techniques, namely chasing, repoussè, engraving, and fretwork to capture the luster and timeless elegance of silver

Cerasarda was founded by Prince Karim Aga Khan and established in Olbia in 1963 as “la Ceramica Della Costa Smeralda”. Since its inception, Cerasarda has distinguished itself for the exquisite work of local craftsmen whose vibrant enamel colors and refined decorations evoke the iconic landscape of Sardinia's Emerald Coast. Part of the Romani group since 2002, Cerasarda interprets the richness of Mediterranean culture and nature through a sophisticated and homogeneous aesthetic rendered with natural materials and a mix of traditional and innovative methods.

Established in 2007 in Milan by Andrea Barra, atelier [1+2=8] started as a creative hub where young designers and craftsmen could meet to create contemporary home décor accessories. After celebrating the brand’s 10th anniversary, the studio moved to the vibrant neighborhood of Isola and under the guidance of Andrea Barra started working with external collaborators to produce in-house sculptural lighting fixtures of refined industrial flair, striking a perfect balance between art and architecture.

Based in Macherio near Brianza, Didoni is a family-run business passionately dedicated to manufacturing precious and semi-precious stones. From the purchase of rough materials to the creation of each piece, every step of production is carried out in-house by a team of experts in partnership with renowned architects and designers. Since the mid-‘70s, Didoni has transformed the essential elegance of stones such as tiger’s eye, malachite, lapis lazuli, quartz, and amethyst into exquisite and personalized home décor objects and accessories.

Based in Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto region, Angela Di Folco graduated in Fine Arts following her childhood passion for painting and drawing. She has participated in numerous shows and competitions and had her first solo exhibition in the town of Nove, near Vicenza, renowned for its ceramic tradition. Inspired by this new medium, in 2015 she started a limited series of plates and since 2017 she has perfected the art of transferring her nature-inspired studies onto on porcelain and wood, showcasing expressionist sensibility and stunning attention to detail.

Driven by a lifelong creative passion, Paola Caselli lives and works in Florence where she produces exclusive, hand-painted porcelain plates made using the underglaze technique. The inspiration for her delicate watercolor creations draws from classic books by European botanical illustrators, notably Italian artist Maria Rita Stirpe. Fine porcelain serves as her ideal canvas to hand-transfer her original sketches before setting the vibrant colors with a second firing and an enamel coating.

In 1949, in the heart of Florence, Agresti’s artisans began creating unique handcrafted strongboxes, sophisticated cabinets, and other fine wooden furniture. Today, with the pillars of safety, elegance, and refinement in mind, designers and artisans are committed to preserving Florentine craftsmanship tradition in a modern manufacturing facility outside the city’s medieval walls. The various stages of creation and production are all performed within Agresti’s company and combine precious woods and metals in exclusive, luxurious designs.

Aiardini is a Naples-based lighting firm established in the late 1990s specialized in handmade chandeliers and lighting solutions for both modern and traditional interiors. All pieces are meticulously crafted with an artistic attention to detail and high-quality materials, notably mouth-blown Venetian glass and Swarovski crystals. Aiardini brings together the technical know-how of architecture with the limitless versatility of glassmaking to reveal refined works of functional decor. Bespoke pieces and customizations are available to suit customers’ vision and decor needs.

Muggiò CR Posate d’Autore is the artistic venture of Carmen Rigolon, established in the picturesque town of Muggiò (Brianza) located in the northern region of Lombardy. Characterized by a diligent and meticulous production process, each utensil is entirely handcrafted using 18/10 stainless steel by artisans who creatively combine light, color, and high-quality materials to infuse an original touch to traditional table settings. The brand utilizes stainless steel, colored glass, murrine, and precious crystals to bring each piece to life.

Founded in 2010 by designer Gianluca Marcon, GAM-HOME is an interior furniture brand specialized in patterned upholstery. GAM-HOME creates a range of interior accent pieces, from tables and consoles to chairs and benches that boast a distinctly modern character and technical know-how of its master artisans. This brand provides customizations and removable covers to serve each client's decorative and maintenance needs.

Born in Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Davide Medri is renowned for his masterful approach to glass mosaic art. In 1997, he established his eponymous brand with glass mosaic mirrors as the central elements of his sculptural and design creations. Over the past 10 years, his works have received acclaim by architects and interior designers worldwide for their deft craftsmanship, as each glass piece is cut and fixed by hand. Medri also creates furniture, floor and wall lamps, and sculptural pieces, using iron, stainless steel, and his trademark glass mosaics.

Established in Siena in 1963, the Arnolfo di Cambio brand keeps traditional Italian craftsmanship alive with its dynamic, hand-blown crystal creations. The knowledge of the Tuscan glassmaking masters of Colle Val d’Elsa is evident in these superb objects that combine traditional methods and the modern vision of prestigious designers that collaborate with the brand. The resulting collections captivate all the senses and bring to life the genius of Cini Boeri, Ettore Sottsass, Michele De Lucchi, and many more.

First established in Venice in the 1930s and later moved to Florence, the Boralevi Gallery has become an international leader in carpet production thanks to the passion of three Boralevi generations. Today, Daniele Boralevi infuses the brand with renewed energy through collaborations with renowned architects and decorators to create hand-knotted custom-made carpets. The collections vary to include modern and traditional patterns to complement fine homes.

Deeply rooted in Sardinian traditions, AV Metal was established in Sarule (Nuoro) in 2009 by brothers Alessio and Antonello Vilia out of a desire to preserve the ancient metalworking craft handed down in their family for generations. Their artistic objects, furnishings, and architectural elements are handcrafted using the wrought iron technique and combine traditional metalworking methods with modern precision technologies. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor decors, AV Metal pieces balance functionality with distinctive designs marked by passion and attention to detail.

Giacomo Pinti established his first chromed-brass flatware and cutlery workshop in 1929 in Lumezzane, Val Trompia, a valley near Brescia in northern Italy renowned for its mineral veins since antiquity. A leader in flatware and cutlery production, the company became an important manufacturer of stainless-steel flatware and cookware in the 50s, later introducing pots and pans and a new location in Sarezzo. The third generation of the Pinti family has expanded the collections and streamlined production processes to create pieces that balance modern aesthetics and tradition.