Borzalino's story is linked to that of materials. What are your choices in terms of materials? What are the industry's trends in this regard? Which of these do you embrace and which do you not?

The discourse on materials is also related to the territory. It all started in 1976, with my grandfather. At that time, leather was the only material employed, and for over fifteen years it continued that way, aided by the fact that we live in one of the most renowned tanning districts in Italy. Here, vegetable-tanned leather is also produced, which we mainly use as they are devoid of chemicals and therefore have a low environmental impact. Even today, this type of leather, made with vegetable tannins, wood powder, mimosa, or chestnut, represents one of the most sustainable material solutions adopted by us. They should not be confused with the better-known “eco-leathers”, which are far from being eco-sustainable: their structure is a conglomerate of polyurethanes, glues, and rubbers covered by an almost non-existent layer of leather. 

Following the same philosophy, we then expanded to other materials, always genuine and derived from nature. These include brass, which is a metal alloy created by nature itself. Similarly, we do not have ceramics in our catalogue, precisely because of our corporate thinking of not to adopt imitative materials of other more valuable, solely to contain prices. Instead, we choose marble, characterized by greater durability also thanks to modern protection techniques, and, in recent years, we have introduced collections of fabrics, wool, velvet, and recycled yarns. Some of these come from the reuse of fishing nets or recovered plastic bottles, and they work great.

What can you tell us about the new office chair collection? Also in this case it was a transformation – from living chairs to office chairs – ...

Bob and Neil were conceived as dining chairs, and in the dining area they did indeed receive excellent response. The transformation into office chairs arose from observing an increasing tendency towards more welcoming offices, with that touch of familial warmth that only an upholstered chair can provide. Naturally, in corporate office interiors, there is always a demand for ergonomic seatings as well, which is why we created the chairs in both four and five-legged versions, always swivel and height adjustable. The contamination between products originally intended for different spaces has become conventional only in recent years. Before, we stopped at the sofa and armchair, and only rarely did we get to the chair. The pandemic and the emergence of new remote working modalities have given a strong impulse to the hybridization of environments, from which derives a search for that slightly cocooned comfort of working in a comfortable, familiar environment. And with the Bob and Neil chairs, we have met this need.

The Boutique Hotel "Palazzo 42" is a renovation project of a historic building of the early twentieth century. How did the selection of the pieces take place? What binds them?

The imagery that holds together the different furnishing elements inside Palazzo 42 is that of soft, ancient forms, so to speak. There is nothing extremely square or hyper-contemporary, neither in the lines nor in the materials, which are mostly velvets and leathers. It is a gem of architecture dating back to the early twentieth century in the historic centre of Pistoia, later destined to become a hotel structure. When in 2020 we were called upon to furnish it after a profound renovation the main quality that the client asked for was flexibility. In a building of such historical and artistic importance, each environment is a microcosm in itself, and no room is the same as the other. This is why every selected product had to be made to measure and adapted for shapes and dimensions to the place that would house it. This applies to consoles, lamps, and even bed headboards. The general style line is Art Deco, with various references to Classicism, such as geometries, symmetries, motifs of majolica or other sinuous forms inspired by nature.

The Mediterranean concept guides the selection of furnishings for the "Villa Spain" project. What characterizes it in terms of colours, shapes and materials?

Again, this is a project that reflects the versatility of Borzalino's products. If, in recent years, we have mainly aimed at warm atmospheres, this is a project that breathes sea breeze. It is defined by very light tones and natural materials, interpreted in earthy hues for a sense of total calm. The resulting environment is fresh, shaped by the same natural light entering through the openings and amplified in its characteristic brightness by the hues we have chosen. As for the materials, the woods are in natural oak, with brass details, and there are also naturally tanned leathers and various mirrors, all contributing to an almost ethereal space.