SEPT 2019_ _ 083
Living
Legends
This year, Italian furniture manufacturer Living Divani
celebrated two major anniversaries: the company’s 50th, plus
30 years of collaboration with art director Piero Lissoni.
Still owned and operated by its founders, Renata Pozzoli and
Luigi Bestetti (their daughter, Carola Bestetti, joined them
in 2004), Living Divani has accomplished much for a family business,
showing persistence and patience as well as an excellent nose
for sussing out evolving business and aesthetic opportunities.
When Lissoni came on board in 1989, the company already had
an impressive catalogue and a solid reputation in Italy for its
clean-lined upholstered products. In combination with his studio’s
strong graphic capabilities, Lissoni used his impeccable eye and
his talent for anticipating stylistic directions to groom the brand
for an international market. At IMM Cologne in 1996, the low-
slung, wide and woven Frog chair (launched in Milan a year earlier)
had a riveting impact, suggesting a completely new direction in
furniture – casual and freewheeling, yet still very elegant. It was
compelling enough to stop Nasir Kassamali, owner of the legendary
Luminaire showrooms in Miami and Chicago, in his tracks.
And poof! Living Divani had found its prince.
Carola Bestetti was living in L.A. when she got the call from her
parents to come back to Brianza, the furniture hub north of Milan
where Living Divani is headquartered. She gave up her plans to
study fashion buying to become assistant art director, learning from
the man who has been “like a big brother.” Today, Carola liaises
between Lissoni’s studio and the dozen or so other designers who
collaborate on the growing Living Divani catalogue. In 2019, young
up-and-comers showing work for the brand at the Milan furniture fair
included David Lopez Quincoces, Keiji Takeuchi, Lukas Scherrer,
Lanzavecchia + Wai, Stephen Burks and Leonardo Talarico.
Words _Nelda Rodger
Three decades ago, a relatively
unknown Piero Lissoni started
art directing a plucky 20-year-old
furniture company called Living
Divani. Not long after, he pro-
posed a Frog to them ... and then
that Frog became a bestseller.
The rest is design history
Designed by Piero Lissoni, the Frog
chair (above) launched in 1995. Living
Divani was founded by Luigi Bestetti
and Renata Pozzoli, pictured opposite
with their daughter, Carola Bestetti.
