Gaetano Pesce | Design and Style | Store | Phaidon
Their personal desires also resemble the results of a marketing survey: they like what they are supposed to like. Perec’s sketch of their fictional aspirational apartment includes jade ashtrays, cane-seated chairs, Toile de Jouy wallpaper, Swedish lamps, and Paul Klee drawings. I admit, it still sounds nice to me today.
Kyle Chayka • Filterworld
‘Testament of a Furniture Dealer’—an extraordinary eight-page manifesto outlining his vision and business philosophy (the PDF is still available online today).
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
As one of the inspirational figures of Italy’s ricostruzione (the country’s post-war rebuilding), Sottsass penetrated a wide range of arenas with his work, including fashion stores, computers, furniture, industrial design, glass, ceramics, painting and photography.
Nicole Swengley • The importance of being Ettore Sottsass
He was a creator in the true sense, bringing new ideas and sensibility to life; it’s rare to do that over so many decades. His legacy is still undigested because he kept reinventing himself. He responded to what he saw around him and worked with the new materials and technologies introduced during his lifetime. With some historical references only ... See more
Nicole Swengley • The importance of being Ettore Sottsass
Why does luxury brand Balenciaga sell a $2,000 purse modeled after a $1 blue Ikea shopping bag? What’s behind the craze for seemingly distressed and worn-out Gucci sneakers? What is Sarah Jessica Parker doing rummaging through the dusty clothes in Rome’s Via Sannio flea market? Why is Cracco, a Michelin star–winning Italian chef, using commercial p... See more
Silvia Bellezza • The Mystery of the $2,000 Ikea Shopping Bag
“This is what I learned from Italian designers: the wish for a better world in mass production, and the wish for a world of diversity from craft, and how to find the treasure in all of this.” – Ronan Bouroullec