An in-depth look at the creative process that drives major designer furniture and Italian interior design company Cappellini, with Giulio Cappellini [Art Director, Cappellini] and Elena Manferdini [Principal, Atelier Manferdini/SCI-Arc Graduate Programs Chair]. Manferdini and Cappellini discuss some of the canonical products produced by Cappellini, the design workflow, and material research at Cappellini. Giulio Cappellini reflects on the role of collaboration in the creative process and the design of product ‘landscapes’ for future ways of living.

Trained as an architect in Milan, Giulio Cappellini is an emblematic figure in the international design panorama. Animated by an indomitable spirit and the curiosity of someone who wants to renew himself continuously, Cappellini dedicates himself to design by offering his personal revision of contemporary design, both for the brand that bears his name, and as art director for other important brands in the field. Through his most ambitious project, his company, Cappellini has become a bona fide trendsetter, such that he has become universally recognized as a talent scout for young professionals. Numerous names have been launched through collaborations with his brand: Jasper Morrison, Marc Newson, Marcel Wanders, the Bouroullec and Nendo brothers, just to name a few. His lectures at international design schools are also very popular, at institutions such as Istituto Marangoni, for which he is also Art Director, and other establishments around the world where he is invited as a visiting professor. Cappellini’s work covers a vast array of furnishing elements. Among the most loved are the Mill sofa, inspired by the contemporary needs of the Millennials, the iconic Bong and Gong tables, the Break table series and the cabinet units in the Luxor range.

Elena Manferdini, principal and owner of Atelier Manferdini, has twenty years of professional experience in architecture, art, design, and education. Elena currently teaches at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and is the Graduate Programs Chair. In 2019 Manferdini was honored with the ICON Award as part of the LA Design Festival, which is a prize that recognizes iconic women who have made an indelible mark on Los Angeles, culture, and society in general through their work, character, and creative leadership. With a body of work that spans art, architecture, exhibitions, and industrial design, her eponymous atelier has created work on over three continents. She refuses to be defined by mere métier and continues fearlessly to adventure further on her creative path while pushing the boundaries of multiple design disciplines. Her work is characterized by interplay, chromatic complexity, and diversity. Elena Manferdini loves art, creativity, inventions and deeply believes in the positive power of education and creative collaboration.

Crew Credits:

Production:
Creator and Executive Producer - Hernán Díaz Alonso
Producers - Marcelyn Gow/Reza Monahan

Post-Production:
Story Producer - Marcelyn Gow
Editors - Cal Crawford/Reza Monahan
VFX Coordinator - Sean Morris

Additional Images and Video Provided by Cappellini

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