Here is an excerpt from the live Instagram of ‘Icone Talks’, the periodic appointment in which the art director of Icone Giulio Cappellini talks about themes related to lighting and design with some of the most important architects on the international scene. On this occasion, the protagonist is the architect and designer Carlo Colombo.

The bespoke work, that is the tailor-made project, especially in a ‘high’ market such as that of luxury, is very important and is the main request of the customer.

According to Carlo Colombo, being able to manage and offer the market a whole series of products that can be customized is certainly an added value for a company like Icone.

The catalog is just the starting point

Today we make products that we photograph and that end up in wonderful catalogs only to realize, after all our research and all our commitment, that the customer asks more and more frequently for particular finishes. This is because perhaps he has to create a particular house, with bronzed finishes, rather than a refined metal or with unusual colors.

The company must be absolutely available to the customer to create a bespoke product. This is somewhat the characteristic of the last few years. The branded products, of which I have already spoken, have greatly influenced the world of fashion, automotive and the furniture sector, which previously had a fairly linear.

In terms of finishes, many companies have tried to develop this winning aspect both from the point of view of marketing and also from the point of view of orders and turnover.

Having a facility that is always open and available to customers is a very important factor.

Soften the design to bring it closer to people

For Giulio Cappellini, until yesterday there were two worlds, that of design and that of decoration, but today this boundary is increasingly thin.

Never as in this moment there is a tendency to soften the design. New finishes and new textures make the products more ‘domestic’ and bring design closer to a wider audience. It would be limiting if these objects were reserved only for a small group of people.

Those involved in design must try to create more understandable products, without detracting from the validity of the project. It is part of the historical and socio-cultural changes.

Follow the live coverage of ‘Icone Talks’ on the IGTV of the Icone Instagram account.