clockwise from left: Patricia Urquiola’s ‘Gentry’
sofas, ‘Fishbone’ side tables and ‘Fjord Relax’ ottomans
are part of the acclaimed Moroso collection. A ‘Fjord
Relax’ chair and ottoman, and Benjamin Hubert’s
‘Net’ tables. Patrizia Moroso. Hubert’s ‘Cradle’ chairs
flank the ‘O Chair’ by Tord Boontje.M
ilan is the beating heart of Italian design but
its soul resides some four hours’ drive away in
Udine, a small city near the Slovenian border.
This is Moroso country, home to the family
brand launched by Agostino Moroso in 1952.
Today, helmed by his daughter Patrizia
Moroso as art director and her brother Roberto as CEO, Moroso is
the little brand that could. “We are not competitive with the big
companies in terms of turnover,” says Patrizia, adding, “We are not so
— come si dice [‘how do you say?’] — dangerous.”
Not so dangerous, maybe, but certainly a force to be reckoned with.
Moroso’s 40-strong line-up of designers includes Marc Newson, Ron
Arad, Tom Dixon and Doshi&Levien. Not bad
for a company that started out making what the
doyenne calls “very nice” furniture back in the day.
Esteemed for its high-quality craftsmanship,
Moroso was one of thousands of companies that
flourished in the post-World War II economic
reconstruction. Business boomed and Patrizia
grew up taking prosperity as given. “In my parents’
mind, I was the crazy daughter who went off to
art school in Bologna,” she says. “I hung around
with artists and cartoonists who came up with
these architectural inventions, a mix of Italian
Futurism and a streamlined American aesthetic.” »MATTERS
ITALIAN BRAND MOROSO CONTINUES
TO DEFY THE ODDS, MASTERMINDED
BY A TRUE FORCE OF NATURE IN
PATRIZIA MOROSO. BY STEPHEN TODD.
FAMILY
VOGUELIVING.COM.AU 81ART & DESIGN