Cappellini is a furniture brand founded in 1946 in Carugo, in the province of Como, by Enrico Cappellini. It is up to his son Giulio, architect and designer, to transform the family craft company into a high-end furniture brand, recognized and appreciated internationally. Since the 1980s, in fact, Giulio Cappellini began a series of collaborations with the most prestigious design signatures, which will lead to the creation of iconic products such as the Proust armchair by Alessandro Mendini, year of production 1978, or the Felt Chair by Marc Newson, year 1993. What made the company unique in the sector was its ability to intercept the most cutting-edge proposals, to encourage experimentation and to propose a completely new concept of living, free from stereotypes. Another strong point is undoubtedly the talent scout vocation of Giulio Cappellini, who over the years has recruited early designers from all over the world, led by an extraordinary intuition refined by years of experience. Cappellini can be considered as a launching pad for talents like Jasper Morrison, James Irvine, Carlo Colombo, Tom Dixon, Marcel Wanders just to name a few. The Cappellini catalog is heterogeneous both in style and in proposals, and allows to furnish any space, from the home to the office, from public facilities to the diverse contract sector, thanks to the wide choice between furnishings, complements and objects. The artisanal quality of the workmanship and the use of high-quality materials place the company in the footsteps of the excellence of Made in Italy. Today Cappellini is part of the Poltrona Frau Group, in turn controlled by the American group Haworth Inc., while Giulio Cappellini, recently indicated by "Times" magazine as one of the most influential trend setters in the world, holds the dual role of Art Director and designer.
The iconic pieces in the Cappellini catalogue
The Cappellini catalogue boasts a considerable number of pieces that are now considered icons of design. Signed by Piero Lissoni in 1998, the Supersoft chair, in fabric or collectible leather, is mounted on wheels and is still a contemporary piece of furniture, suitable both for the home and for public places. The Thinking Man's Chair, designed by Jasper Morrison in 1988, is now on display in prestigious museums in New York, Paris and London. Made of painted metal with tubular structure and flat profile for the support areas, it combines a bold design with maximum comfort. Available in green, dark grey, white and terracotta, and in a special edition enriched with lettering indicating the radii of curvature of the frame. The armchair Knotted Chair by Marcel Wanders, 1996, boasts a visionary design, with its aerial woven carbon fiber structure reminiscent of precious macramé work. A true collector's item, exhibited in the permanent collection of the MoMa in New York, as well as in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the V&A Museum in London. Tom Dixon designed the S-Chair chair, with its unmistakable S-shaped silhouette, while the great Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata bequeathed the Sofa With Arms armchair and the legendary Progetti Compiuti collection of storage furniture, with its characteristic curved shape. Another designer who boasts a long collaboration with Cappellini is Marc Newson, who surpasses himself in technique and experimentation with the armchair Wooden Chair. Made of solid beech wood strips, it looks like a fluid and continuous interweaving that forms a sort of ring.
Cappellini: furnishing solutions for environments with a strong personality
Cappellini also offers solutions that allow you to furnish the entire home environment, in addition to contract and office spaces. The Juli chair collection, designed by Werner Aisslinger, is suitable for both home and office use and features a delicate, enveloping shell that resembles the petals of a flower. Juli is available in different versions with padded or polyurethane shell and legs in a choice of goblet, sled, 4-leg, 4- or 5-spoke, both fixed and swivel. The Cloud bookcase, designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, is molded in white polyethylene and features an extravagant pop design. Among the novelties, the swivel chair Lud'o Lounge, created by designer Patricia Urquiola, is a tribute to the master Vico Magistretti, and is characterized by a playful design and great versatility. Available with conical base or with legs of 4 breeds, it can be composed in countless versions, choosing different materials and finishes for the base, to be combined with fabrics and leather collection for the coating. The removable round table Gong, designed by Giulio Cappellini, with its top decorated with strips, is inspired by the graphics of the 1950s, in particular by Alexander Girard. Happy and colorful, it is made of sheet metal and is available in different color combinations between the stem, the base and the top. The sofa Cap Ferrat, designed by Carlo Colombo, has a metallic structure with short tubular feet, on which rests the multilayered poplar shell. The design is austere and rigorous, consisting of parallelepipeds that form the seats, backrests and armrests. Cap Ferrat is available in the fixed version in leather and eco-leather or removable with coating to choose from the collection fabrics.
