The Next Wave
Rossario Messina | Flou

Thirty years ago, people purchased furniture based primarily on emotion. Emotion, of course, is still an important part of the process. But clients are far more demanding and rational today. They insist on objects that not only are attractive and original but also improve their lives. In 1978, our Nathalie bed helped us revolutionize bed design. But today it’s available with a slanted headboard to accommodate people who enjoy watching television in bed. It’s important that products, even successful products, evolve to meet the needs of today’s clients. For our company, the major challenge will be to establish a market presence in emerging economies. We’ve sold in Europe for 30 years; the houses here are full of furniture, and the population is contracting. Countries like China, Brazil, Vietnam, and South Africa will be our future. But there will be sharp competition, even from local companies that try to imitate Italian creativity. It’s like we’ve won the European Championship, and now we have to win the World Cup.