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A Look Inside Minotti’s 2017 Collection

Alessandro Minotti

The Minotti empire began in the 1950s when Alberto Minotti discovered his talent for fine craftsmanship for everyday furniture. Since then, the company has flourished with one-of-a-kind products that can evolve any home into a sophisticated, elegant atmosphere. Over the years, Minotti has expanded creatively in many new directions and styles. They are true leaders in furniture design, specifically focusing on the overall feel of a room and how it accommodates any lifestyle. Architect-turned-creative-director, Rodolfo Dordoni, has helped transform the company into what is it today. This 100% Italian production is shared over the world with showrooms in over 50 countries, and truly redefines the concept of “Made in Italy”. With the launch of the 2017 Collection, S/ sat down with third-generation Minotti, Alessandro Minotti, to discuss how the business his grandfather built has mastered modernism and become an icon in the design world for superior furnishings.

How important are memory and heritage in Minotti’s current designs? Are you constantly pulling from the family archives for current and future creations?
“We like to discover new ideas through traveling, looking through magazines, and getting inspiration through daily life around the world. Many times, I discover ideas and inspiration from my business excursions. When exploring new stores and new cities, you can catch an experience that will tie all your thoughts together.”

What’s Minotti’s design signature? What makes a Minotti piece recognizable?
“Our sofas are very recognizable. Our company developed further in 1997 when we started working with our creative director, Rodolfo Dordoni. Dordoni is an interior designer who’s quite famous for furniture design. He’s very sensible when it comes to colour and materials. Minotti is not just about a design or the shape; it’s a combination of design, colour, and material. The fabric plays a fundamental role in the character of the upholstery.”

How does Minotti decide on which fabrics to use?
“We pull inspiration from the fashion world and we develop fabrics with a supplier. Internally, we also work with a textile expert who gives us his input, and from there we develop the collection.”

What kind of lifestyle does Minotti express?
“The Minotti lifestyle represents a sophisticated contemporary design with luxury materials. We try not to be too avant-garde, too conservative, or too classic. Our most recent collection for 2017 is called Home Anthology. This collection introduces not only the common shapes of Minotti, but also something more French inspired. We wanted to open the range of possibilities.”

What’s the inspiration behind Minotti’s 2017 collection?
“The inspiration came from a contemporary house, a very Minotti house. We used dark colours, dark wood, and beautiful metal finishing that gave it a very luxury look. Inside we mixed different styles of something very classic with something very modern. Each room has a different approach to style. I like to see a house with many identities.”

What are the top standout pieces from the 2017 collection and why?
“The Lawrence sofa is a combination of classic and modern with amazing versatility. Another one is the Jacques sofa which comes from a retro shape with no sharp lines. It has become a symbol of contemporary style. And the colour yellow is a standout element. We’ve used it as a dramatic tone with impressive power.”

What’s been the company’s secret to winning over an international audience?
“Our secret is passion for what we do. If you work with passion, you can give everything 110%. And working in a family company, you’re able to work in with people you trust.”

Sanlorenzo x Minotti yacht

What are some of the company’s biggest design projects?
“There is a house in Los Angeles that I fell in love with. I saw the process from it being under construction to the moment it developed the Minotti environment. Today, this is the house of Calvin Klein. Another exciting project we’ve been working on is with Italian yacht producer, Sanlorenzo. These boats are very famous in Italy. The interiors are fully furnished by Minotti and look like a house, not a ship. This is a new trend, and we now have a partnership with Sanlorenzo as well as many others in Italy.”

Who are some of Minotti’s VIP customers?
“I met with Demi Moore in Los Angeles who came into the showroom to buy a sofa with an interior designer. We also have a lot of German and Italian soccer players as clients.”

Visit Minotti’s new Toronto flagship showroom at 102 Berkley Street to discover the brand up close.

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