Financial Times Europe - 02.11.2019 - 03.11.2019

12 ★ FTWeekend 2 November/3 November 2019

I

n April 2020 the Milan Furniture

Fair will showcase the best

domestic design from around the

world. ut the piecesB on show there

are designed and created during

these autumn and winter months.

Porada, the Italian furniture maker, will

be exhibiting for the 46th consecutive

year, and its busy workshop near Como

revolvesaroundMilan’sannualcycle.

Como owesits prosperity to its posi-

tion as a gateway to northern Italy’s

mountains that yieldmarble, granite

and iron nd have steep forested slopes.a

BehindComo’s grandlakesidehotels,

little remains of the Roman city, butits

medieval churches were shaped by the

magistri Comacine, masons whose skill

wassoughtfarandwide.

This legacy of outstanding materials

and advanced architecturehas given

way to furniture production nd Poradaa

is Como’s leading house,

basedintheresidentialdis-

trict of Cernobbio on the

westsideofLakeComo.

The company was forged

in 1948 by Luigi Allievi

(1905-85) with his brother

Egidio. The Allievi brothers

at first made traditional

chairsand then sought

to collaborate with lead-

ing designers in the

1960s, although these had

little success.Their rise

began when they created their own con-

temporary designs, first exhibited at

Milanin1965.

In 1968 the company was named

after Como’s northern locality “as it

was thought easier to pronounce

than our surname”, says Sara Allievi,

the grand-daughter of one of the

founders and now a co-director. How

would she define Porada? “In essence?

Solid wood.”It is no superficial claim

when so much modern furniture

dependsonveneer.

Porada’s earliest survivingcatalogue

is dated 1971, a ring binder packed with

interior shots in shades of biscuit, all

ergonomic design and elegant lines in

wood. Two models from 1974 remain in

production: the Trittico [tryptich] tri-

ple-legged table, and the triangular

Tony stackable tables. As a girl, Sara

says:“IrememberusingaTonyasaBar-

bie’stower-house.”

Today, thefactory and showroom

(Right) Mauro

Nastri and

Sara Allievi,

Porada

directors;

(below)

Ziggy bed

Photographs by Lea

Anouchinsky for the FT

Tony tables

Infinity table in production

Seasoned

wood

Design Porada’s workshop is busy|

preparing for the annual Milan furniture

fair next spring. ByJonathan Foyle

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NOVEMBER 2 2019 Section:Weekend Time: 10/201930/ - 17:45 User: elizabeth.robinson Page Name:RES12, Part,Page,Edition:RES , 12, 1