Design in the words of Antonio Citterio

Presenting his new furniture collection for Flexform, Antonio Citterio delves into the relationship between design and craftsmanship, and designing for real homes

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Five decades of design experience have given Antonio Citterio an unparalleled understanding of what makes a good piece of furniture. ‘When I think about design in general, a story of families always comes to mind, especially in furniture design. Stories of people and families,’ he says.

His new collection for Flexform features an informal elegance, developed through essential home furnishings including sofas, chairs and a bed, combining traditional methods of furniture construction with contemporary materials and aesthetics. His pieces are presented alongside new furniture by Christophe Pillet, adding a further sense of eclecticism to the sophisticated collection. 

‘When I think about design in general, a story of families always comes to mind'

‘Straw, and wicker chairs, have been part of my memory since childhood,’ continues Citterio, who admired the spontaneity of the non-designs from his past. He re-created this concept of essential design with pieces like the Tessa chair and Gregory sofa and bed, characterised by a simplicity of form concealing a complex construction.

Sketch of Tessa chair by Antonio Citterio for Flexform

Here and below, a few sketches by Antonio Citterio depicting his new collection for Flexform. The Tessa armchair (pictured here), features a seemingly simple construction concealing a complex craftsmanship

(Image credit: Antonio Citterio)

Sketch of Gregory sofa by Antonio Citterio for Flexform

Antonio Citterio's Gregory sofa for Flexform, characterized by an austere construction featuring a contrast between leather, metal and textile upholstery

(Image credit: Antonio Citterio)

Sketch of Gregory Sofa by Antonio Citterio for Flexform

A detail of Citterio's Gregory sofa for Flexform

(Image credit: Antonio Citterio)

Sketch of Ontario sofa by Antonio Citterio for Flexform

Part of the outdoors collection is the Ontario, a sectional sofa with a distinctive back made of iroko wood

(Image credit: Antonio Citterio)

INFORMATION

flexform.it

Rosa Bertoli

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.