Meet the visionary Patrizia Moroso

– Growing up, I thought I had a future in the arts, perhaps as a curator. But in the end, I have tried to bring the spirit of the avant-garde and the power of design as a knowledge tool to the company.

These are the words of artistic director Patrizia Moroso when we spoke to her on the eve of the Stockholm Furniture Fair, where Moroso returned this year after a thirteen-year absence. This year they were also co-creators of the fair's guest exhibition "Design by Nature" by Front. But more on that later, first we'll unfold the story of how Moroso became one of Italy's top luxury upholstered furniture brands.

Founded by craftsman Agostino and his wife Diana Moroso in 1952, Moroso's business initially consisted largely of small-scale production of simple wooden furniture. 70 years later, the company is a global and innovative design brand with great international success and countless awards behind it. Moroso produces premium sofas and furniture and has collaborated with well-known designers such as Ron Arad, Carlo Colombo, Marc Newson, Toshiyuki Kita and Patricia Urquiola.

The success story has one person in particular to thank for it, and that person is Patrizia.

At the age of twenty-six, she was called home from her art studies to work with her parents' company, which was facing a choice. Europe had been hit by a major oil crisis that was having a profound impact on the economy, the interior design industry was in turmoil, and the Moroso brand needed to rethink its approach in order to move forward. Patrizia would lead the transformation by building the new DNA, creating a clearer frame story, and above all, reviewing the assortment planning to develop a more interesting design catalogue.

It's not hard to see similarities between the 1979 energy crisis and the current situation, but is it really true that crises breed innovation?

– Our times are indeed testing us with difficult challenges; while climate change reminds us daily of our responsibility towards future generations, we have been transported back to a time of war in a completely irrational way. War is a man-made - and at best male - completely stupid phenomenon. Civilisation arises from our ability to be together with others, to accept diversity and to cultivate inclusiveness. From this point of view, creativity is a great antidote to anger!

Patrizia was not old at the time of the change, but it turned out that she had a special ability to curate a range, something she had learnt during her art studies. In 1986 the new Moroso was presented to the public.

Today, Moroso has an impressive catalogue of designs based on proud craftsmanship:

– Every person involved in production here at Moroso is an excellent craftsman. Every morning there is an item on the work table that demonstrates the company's expertise. Our craftsmen really do everything. It is not like in other companies, where tasks are divided: while one makes a "click", another makes a "clack"; that is not our approach. Everyone works on the same product, from start to finish, and they are all very proud of the process because it leads to solving difficult challenges with really good craftsmanship. At the same time, we are very open to change, both in terms of production and technology.

What characterises the Moroso brand is the union of craftsmanship with industrial production process, framed by a contemporary aesthetic vision.

– This means that, together with a constant exchange of ideas, we never forget how to do things by hand," emphasises Patrizia Moroso.

You are known for your successful talent scouting. For example, you picked up Patrizia Urquiola early on and nurtured her creativity. How do you go about finding the interior design stars of tomorrow?

– I see talent in people, in their eyes and in their hands. I am constantly surrounded by talented designers, but that doesn't always mean they are right for Moroso. Togetherness is key. I am interested in designers who have an unusual, often unorthodox, view of the world. Designers who have the passion and courage to create something unpredictable.

But what is the secret to delivering creative solutions to functional problems?

– The secret to cultivating and stimulating creativity is simple: listen to what other people, especially young people, have to say. Without prejudices and limitations.

So what makes a design really good?

– A side effect of globalisation is standardisation. The complex dynamics of the market (and our compulsive use of social media...) pushes everyone to follow a style and a way of thinking. I am not interested in conforming to this mainstream thinking. I need to explore different paths and landscapes. Diversity is key to our survival and we need to love each other precisely because we are different, especially these days. The beauty of people, as well as objects, is that we are different and yet the same. For me, design is an important instrument to see and at the same time guide change. Through it we design the future and therefore I ask designers for a "vision" of the world, not just what functions or features an object should have.

Which piece of furniture best defines your home?

The Fjord recliner in a beautiful African textile.

What news can we expect from Moroso in the future?

– We have decided to expand our research to include more areas of modern life and will therefore add accessories, storage and create more tables. 2023 will be a transitional year for us. We are working on a variety of projects and developing how we present ourselves. It's all very inspiring!

The new flagship store in Manhattan showcases the new project with Front. Moroso has worked with the Swedish design studio since 2004, when Patrizia discovered their work at the SaloneSatellite, the young design section of the Milan Furniture Fair.

– There were many things that impressed me: of course that they were four young girls, but in particular, that they had an ability to understand design as a crossroads of different perspectives. Since then we have developed several projects together, always characterised by a radical approach to form and meanings, where illusion - sometimes explicit and sometimes in a more subtle and ironic way - is the common thread, as well as the intersection of the abstract and concrete for the conceptual and the physical product resulting from industrial production.

This deep interest in designers, and an almost intuitive understanding of where they are going with a project, is typical of Patrizia Moroso's way of working and a key to Moroso's success in both innovating the furniture industry and working within a tradition of craftsmanship.

What is the story behind Front's Design by Nature concept and Pebble Rubble seating?

– When Sofia and Anna presented this project to me, I found it amazing, both innovative and surprising. The story behind their research and the vision that has guided their ideas, over several years, is extraordinary and at the same time obvious: nature - not only as a source of inspiration - but as a creative force in itself, as a way to model new design principles.

Typical of naturalistic research, they have approached this project with extreme care, isolating aspects, following traces and studying existing forms with archetypal characteristics and moving them to an urban, industrial and technological dimension. A fascinating conceptuality that impresses me, and at the same time raises a critical reflection on the environmental impact of contemporary products.

– In a room setting, Pebble Rubble exerts an almost magnetic pull that could normally only be caused by a natural phenomenon. The fact that Pebble Rubble mimics rocks adds to the sense of disorientation, a contrast that - especially if conceived in a deeply urban context - speaks to us on a deeply primal level.

When I mention that the Front themselves refer to the many projects they have done together as "a long friendship, built on Patrizia's curiosity and passionate courage", Patrizia exclaims:

– Yes, I mentioned the importance of togetherness earlier: yes...it's very similar to my approach!