14 Apr INTERVIEW TO DR. ANTONIO OLIVARI
The Salone del Mobile 2013, which took place in Milan during last week, ended with record numbers; despite the crisis, especially for the large presence of foreign operators.
We asked Antonio Olivari; Head of Research and Development, what his impression was of the exhibition:
I must say that we are back in business and full of enthusiasm. We were all pleasantly surprised by the reaction, and capability shown by our fellow entrepreneurs. There is a desire to move forward; despite the strong market difficulties of this period. Through the exchange of ideas and impressions; we had the feeling of being fully involved, engaging everyone in the company to work together; affirming the importance of the “Made in Italy”.
I must also say that we were very encouraged by the attendance and participation of overseas visitors; architects, decorators, interior designers, and retailers – who appreciate our creativity and resourcefulness, yet are unique in the global dimension.
I spoke to Corriere della Sera Lev Libeskind, the son of the famous architect Daniel:
The Italian Companies are concerned, yet they have an incredible heritage. Maybe Italians do not realize it themselves, but foreigners are amazed by the creativity and unique design and quality of the “Made in Italy”. So in summary, we return with a message of optimism of the will at the very least.
What have you presented as news?
First of all, our booth, which we wanted to give a strong personality; to express optimism and positivity.
The basic theme is our slogan, which characterizes us: The design, taken by the hand.
So, we created a forest of hands; projected on the walls, where we presented our products. The graphic, which refers to pop art by Roy Lichtenstein, is interpreted with our corporate colors. A niche, located in the palm of the hands, handles appeared. The new products for this year were featured: Lucy, by Patricia Urquiola, Nina by Daniel Libeskind; and Chelsea, designed by Jean Nouvel; all characterized by original forms, and expressive of the strong personality of the designers.
On the walls, as I said, we have presented a selection of our products, with an emphasis on design and their different finishes.
An interesting fact we are proud of and wanted to highlight is an all inclusive production cycle inside our company. This enables us to experiment and develop new and exciting finishes.
We are not only “Made in Italy”, but more precisely we are “Made in Borgomanero”; linked to our Land and our People. We began in 1911, over a hundred years ago, and are into the third generation family ownership and operation.
And for the future?
I can only repeat that we must continue with tenacity to develop the qualities we have, and create a difference.
Barrie Midler
Managing Director
Bellevue Imports Pty Ltd
Melbourne Australia