An icon is forever
They have written some of the most important pages in the history of design: they are companies and visionary architects who have had the courage to break ranks, innovate, be inspired and even to make mistakes. This is the only viable way to give life to timeless masterpieces, bound to preserve their beauty and relevance in any age. From Gufram to Cassina, from Zanotta to Flos and Artemide, and including Vitra, Opinion Ciatti and Seletti: the lamps, sofas, armchairs and accessories by these top world-renowned brands are true works of art able to brighten and enhance Christmas, making it unique and special. They are the design icons that last forever.
It appeared on the covers of the most prestigious design magazines and it currently enjoys a place of honour in the most important museums in the world. This is Bocca, the most unconventional sofa ever created, produced by Gufram in 1970 based on the design of the architects of Studio 65. The inspiration came from the Portrait of Mae West by Dalì, but also from the fire red lips of Hollywood stars. “pop DNA, a sensual and provocative soul, feminine and elegant style”. Bocca is a timeless design icon, a collector’s item that has certainly made history.
Utrecht by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina is “an icon of the neoplastic movement”, designed in 1935 for the large Metz&Co department store in Amsterdam. Characterised by lines now more than ever contemporary and original, the armchair created by the Dutch architect introduced a new, experimental vision of design, orientated towards large distribution and the utmost comfort, and also based on the principles of formal purity and the harmony of pure colours and geometry. A masterpiece that Cassina has inherited, that has preserved its memory, form and substance for years.
A symbol of Italian design for over fifty years, the Sacco pouf by Gatti, Paolini and Teodoro for Zanotta dates back to 1968 when, in filling a bag with polystyrene beads, the designers decided to question the very notion of “armchair”. The freest, most irreverent, informal, entertaining, versatile and universal: Sacco goes beyond any padded seat, renouncing any distinct label or definitive form, with an aspiration to last forever and to adapt to all positions of the body going beyond fashion, ages and seasons.
The Taccia table lamp is of unequalled elegance, refinement and style. Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni designed it in 1958 and Flos developed the system of production in 1962. Its base in varnished extruded aluminium recalls doric columns and was conceived to cool down the heat that is released from the inside. The lamp is equipped with a diffuser in clear blown glass, in contrast with the original design that wrongly included the use of plastic materials. “I have to admit that this lamp has been conceived in the wrong way, it’s funny to say” - Achille Castiglioni.
The watchword chosen by designers Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for the Tolomeo floor lamp by Artemide is “everywhere”, as it is a lamp designed to fit and work into any space, able to go with everything and last forever. An icon of lighting design launched in 1987 and characterised by a body that always stays in balance. “The mechanism was born from the observation of fishermen who fish with a line. It seemed brilliant to me that, with a small lever arm and a cable, it was possible to suspend a pole on which to attach something to” - Michele De Lucchi.
Pop-art, irony and creativity: these words perfectly describe Seletti’s essence and its creations. Like the Monkey Lamp, a table or suspension lamp that has become one of the brand’s bestsellers and that, thanks to its playful design, reaches the highest form of its divertissement. Little monkeys sneak into our homes, bringing with them a unique, unusual and original touch, in addition to the light. The special edition created for Mohd by Seletti, resulted from the collaboration with Marcantonio and its ability to perfectly combine art, design and the world of nature, is even more realistic.
The Eames Elephant is certainly considered a timeless design icon. Its story started in 1945 and Charles & Ray Eames are the ones who wrote the plot for Vitra. Originally made of plywood, the first prototype was given to Charles Eames’s daughter, Lucia, as a gift and it was then given on loan to the Museum of Modern Art in New Tork in 1946. The plastic models available in the most diverse colours have then ushered in the series production. As a toy or decorative element: the Eames Elephant has crossed ages and generations, remaining a precious object for both children and their parents.
Not too subtly, the designers De Pas, D’Urbino and Lomazzi draw inspiration from the famous board game because, according to them, accessories must, above all, arouse sympathy in those who use them. The Sciangai coat stand by Zanotta perfectly represents these kinds of objects: “everyday, domestic, caring objects.” The piece astounds in particular for its simplicity and originality: the opening-closing mechanism has been realised thanks to a simple steel grommet, which earned it the Compasso d’Oro in 1979.
Original Ptolomeo is more recent, but its modernity has in no way affected its iconic and contemporary essence. “Sudden like an intuition”, the self standing bookcase has been designed with a single aim: to enhance its content, books, even to its own detriment. As it becomes slowly filled, the steel column and the shelves become increasingly less noticeable and eventually disappear, giving the illusion that the books are supporting themselves. Original Ptolomeo was created in 2003, resulting from the design of Bruno Rainaldi for Opinion Ciatti. The name of the piece is a tribute to the first man in history who took care of books: Ptolemy I Soter, the founder of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt.
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