This article first appeared in Options, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 22, 2019 - July 28, 2019

Italian company Kartell turns 70 this year, basking in its series of award-winning furniture pieces that have become industry icons. In Kuala Lumpur for the launch of its new Smart Wood collection, CEO Gilberto Negrini talks to Anandhi Gopinath and Emily Yap about DNA, identity and the role of innovation in establishing an enduring sense of style.

A s we stroll through the Kartell shop-in-shop at lighting showroom Lightcraft in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, it occurs to us that it is almost impossible to separate post-war Italian design from the Milan-based company’s legacy. Since its establishment in 1949, Kartell has been dictating domestic conversation with its innovative plastic furniture and home accessories, everything from furniture to lighting accessories and tableware.

As we explore Kartell’s collection of furniture, we are able to match each piece to various spaces in our homes — the Trama dinner set is a perfect fit for the dining table, the petite Ghost chair for a children’s room and the iconic Bourgie table lamp, whose versatile shape means we can imagine it in the kitchen, in a reading nook or by our bed. Besides being able to intimately engage with the pieces placed in a setting that resembles that of our own home, we are also struck by their flawless construction and quality.

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