Launching collaborations that shift perspectives towards the future
To commemorate its 110th anniversary, haute-design furniture brand Poltrona Frau rolled out its True Evolution 2022 collection, which reflects its history and manufacturing culture, with sustainability as the lever of development.
Through its work, the legendary brand puts the spotlight on cultural values and the testimony of its hugely relevant design that is way ahead of its time. While countless details of shape and sophisticated manufacturing techniques embody the essence of Poltrona Frau’s artisanal prowess, it has collaborated with a clique of design artists to introduce an eclectic collection, which brings to life an assortment of pieces that dialogue well with its existing catalogue and exhilarate the senses of its patrons.
In collaboration with contemporary mark-making artist Felipe Pantone, Poltrona Frau introduced an exclusive, limited edition armchair. Demonstrating his flair and panache, the Argentine-Spanish creator completely reinvented the Archibald armchair, one of the brand’s most iconic pieces, in his boundary-breaching style. Known for his frescos, murals, paintings and sculptures, which blend an ‘analogue past and a digital future’, Pantone has blended seemingly opposing forces of modern and heritage, with mesmerizing pattern and colours, in a sensibility that is minimalistic and iconic.
Another pièce de résistance is the Aurora Tre, a bed of unparalleled softness and comfort. Designed by Tito Agnoli, it is a faithful interpretation of an original design from 2005. Painter, designer, architect and pupil of Sironi, Agnoli’s concept transcends functionalist modernity, alluding to an intimate and harmonious relationship between the piece and its user. The fluid and enveloping lines on the headrest, conveying the image of being quilted, are a testament to Poltrona Frau’s extraordinary manufacturing skill and high cultural value. The Aurora Tre presents a complex but clean shape that interacts effectively with the most diverse styles as well as with other furnishings in the Poltrona Frau catalogue, to create unique and emotionally evocative settings.
Another intriguing creative partnership has culminated in the Happy Jack, a modular system conceived by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba. Designed with attention to comfort and a high level for detail, for smaller urban residences and for the contract sector, it is compact and airy, with curves and enveloping cushions. The signature concave armrest evokes a relaxing smile and embodies the very soul of the piece - the ‘Happy’ Jack. Its contemporary lines and stylistic imprint of its designers directly relate to the ‘Let it Be’ sofa, one of Poltrona Frau’s most successful products. The reinterpretation speaks to simplicity, which results from an accurate sizing process of the elements and of the complex technical and visual solutions, while the appeal of softness and geometric shape lend unmistakable character.