Ferruccio Laviani is without doubt one of the veterans of design. He's best known for his innovative polycarbonate lamp designs, which gave the world of lighting fresh impetus. In 2021, Ferruccio Laviani celebrated 30 years as chief designer at Kartell. In this interview, he talks about sustainability and the most important milestones of his career, and reveals which of his works means the most to him emotionally.
Mr Laviani, thank you for your time. Would you tell us where you are right now?
Of course – I'm in the studio, in the centre of Milan in Italy, right in front of the Villa Necchi.
That already sounds like a design experience. Just like your career at Kartell, which has now lasted a good 30 years. What's special about this relationship?
That's simple: Kartell was the first company I worked with as a freelance designer, in 1991. I was still very young and Kartell was the first brand I wanted to win over with my visions, so everything was very exciting for me.
At the time, the company was going through upheaval because of a change of ownership, so there were lots of opportunities for me as a young designer. I'm still very grateful for that chance today.
An extraordinary relationship, then. Do you remember a particular project that was especially challenging for you?
Over the years I've been involved in many projects, all challenging in their own way. But the Kartell Museum was something really new. It was founded in 1999 to mark Kartell's 50th anniversary.
Before it opened, all the products, photos and advertising created over that half-century had to be reviewed, sorted and prepared. That was also the moment I first toyed with the idea of designing lamps.
So lamp design wasn't always your speciality?
No, the first product I designed for Kartell was actually a table. But when I saw the lamp collection from the 1960s and 70s during my research, I felt a strong desire to relaunch it. Nothing came of it at the time, though, because there were fears it would look too nostalgic. So my first lamp for Kartell was more of a happy accident.
And what was that?
Ever since I started at Kartell, I'd been responsible for the company's presence at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile. In 2000, we needed suitable lighting for the stand – and of course it couldn't come from a competitor. So I developed a prototype of the FL/Y pendant light.
The lamp was originally only meant as decoration for the stand. But during the fair, buyers were so interested in FL/Y that I was commissioned to put it into production. And that's how I came to lamps [laughs].
FL/Y was followed by many more lamp designs. What has fascinated you about lamps ever since?
I think the secret behind the lamp as a product is its cultural significance. It's very present in your home and has a big influence on your living environment. At the same time, a lamp isn't as static as a table – it can easily be moved and give a room a completely new feel. It's almost like a business card that tells you what a person likes and which style they prefer.
Of all the products you've created so far, which is closest to your heart, and why?
That's like having five children and having to decide which one is the best. Although I know exactly which isn't my best product – but I'm not going to say [laughs]. One of my favourite lamps is the Taj lamp, which I also developed for Kartell. It actually hasn't been as successful as other designs, but I associate it with a personal development.
That sounds intriguing. What exactly do you mean?
Taj is important to me for two reasons: it was the first lamp I designed after the very popular Bourgie lamp. Many people wrongly believed I was pursuing a romantic, neo-baroque style. In fact, with Bourgie I wanted to poke fun at the taste of rich people and their pompous interior style.
Your lamps are made almost entirely of polycarbonate. What advantages do you see in using this material?
In the early 2000s, Kartell was a pioneer in the use of plastic. Nobody in the interiors industry had used this kind of material before. The very first project was "La Marie" by Philippe Starck, a small chair with flexible legs.
The transparency of plastic was also a big hit at the time, so it made sense to keep working with it. Polycarbonate lamps also create particularly beautiful light reflections.
So the use of plastic is deeply rooted in Kartell's DNA. Do you think that still fits with the much-discussed topic of sustainability today?
It's important to talk about sustainability, because our planet is constantly changing. It's November and it's currently 28 degrees here in Milan. That's not normal. Many people still use plastic too thoughtlessly and are disrespectful towards nature.
But buying a plastic lamp is something completely different. It isn't meant to be thrown away the next day. On the contrary, it's meant to become a permanent part of your home and bring joy for a long time.
Even so, are there noticeable changes towards sustainability at Kartell?
Absolutely. Kartell is constantly working on identifying new bio-based materials suitable for product design. And much of the polycarbonate used today is recycled – including from old plastic bottles. We started doing that back in the 1990s. The problem, though, was that recycled plastic wasn't yet very good: the structure was more porous and less even. It was only partly suitable for producing furniture. Today that's different – we're getting there step by step.
As the saying goes, good things take time. Which lamp has taken you the most time so far, and what new product are you working on at the moment?
Kabuki took around three years of development. Its structure and pattern are very complex and modelled on lace fabric. We had to make it together with a car manufacturer, because we needed particularly large plastic parts.
After presenting the affordable Take at the Milan furniture fair this year, there'll be another new model next year. A touch more Bourgie, but simpler and more in tune with the times, if you like.
We can't wait! Thank you, Ferruccio Laviani, for your time and this fascinating conversation.
