seeking ultra modern furniture

[caelte]

Originally Posted by iammatt

The Cappellini shop closed recently because the Angeleno's could not get past the 1950's to understand what is going on now. It is both a shame and very telling.

Don't write off Twentieth. They do a lot of mid-century, but also carry a lot of Tom Dixon and Moooi which are two of the best names in very contemporary furniture.

www.moooi.nl
www.tomdixon.net
I'd like to see more furniture links, please.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by caelte

I'd like to see more furniture links, please.
http://portal.cappellini.it:7778/por...i/1_Collezione

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

Originally Posted by caelte

I'd like to see more furniture links, please.

modern stuff:

http://www.artifort.com/

http://feld.be

http://www.driade.it/

!luc

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

Originally Posted by iammatt

The Cappellini shop closed recently because the Angeleno's could not get past the 1950's to understand what is going on now. It is both a shame and very telling.

Don't write off Twentieth. They do a lot of mid-century, but also carry a lot of Tom Dixon and Moooi which are two of the best names in very contemporary furniture.

www.moooi.nl
www.tomdixon.net
Matt, you probably know that cappellini, cassina and gufram are a property of poltrona frau (operated by an italian luxury fund "Charmes"); whereas B&B Italia (operated by competing italian luxury fund "Opera") owns moooi. Italian high end furniture is experiencing the same thing LVMH and Gucci did in the 90s to concentrate fashion and luxury accessories. We have to expect an increase in prices, "star" designers, limited editions (pucci norguet chair), tighter distribution and of course I fear a subsequent drop in quality.
Though, I don't know if people are ready to drop $10,000 on a new sofa every three years.
So the closing of LA's cappellini shop may not be solely because of the lack of interest by angelinos.
Oh... And "Charmes" also own ballantyne

!luc

 

[itsstillmatt]

What you are saying is all correct about the consolidation. However, Cappellini would have been out of business without Charme. They were really leaing oil as the stuff is pretty hard to sell a lot of, and the prices have always been low in comparison with the cost of making. This goes even more for some of the pieces like the wooden chair which apparently they used to make in runs of abou ten and would only be able to keep about half of them after quality control. I don't think that we have purchased anything since they were bought a few years ago, so I wouldn't be able to tell a difference. If anything, the leathers should be getting better now that they are associated with Poltrona Frau.

IMO it is too bad that B&B bought moooi. I don't think that they are a company that will benefit in any way other than distribution. Interestingly, B&B used to be C&B as it was founded by Cassina and B(usnelli). I guess they had some sort of falling out or something.

As far as the LA Cappellini shop goes, the closing is not like the relocation of the Paris shop. They were only open for two years, and apparently they only did about 30k/month worth of business for the last six or seven months. At the prices, that is almost nothing. Literally. It was a joint venture with a company in LA, and that company pulled the plug. I hear that somebody else might try again soon. LA is a tough market. It is really all mid-century, B&B and what is known here as "design center". You are lucky that you are not cursed with this stuff in Paris.

IIRC, Charme is the Montezemolo group. They also own Acqua di Parma and a million other things.

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

I wasn't impressed by the quality of cappellini at the paris showroom. Some iconic pieces (embryo, felt chairs, a sofa by morisson...) were on par with the level of quality you expect at billionaire's price

and some were clearly not, I remember a rive droite chair which wasn't stable.
Clearly B&B needed its own "laboratory" and bought moooi, just like cappellini is Charme's cutting edge design providers.
I agree about Cappellini being too far-stretched and they would have probably gone bankrupt without Charmes.
We'll see.

!luc

 

[itsstillmatt]

Re quality, it is hard to say. They have always been a little more "crafty" that some of the bigger manufacturers. I can't say that we have had any major problems, but their quality control is definitely lacking in some way. Our spring chair makes noise sometimes and we once received a low pad chair with a gash in it, but they took it back and made a new one, one lacquer table wasn't as perfect as it whould have been given the price. The Rive Droite chair doesn't need to be stable, because it is so damn uncomfortable that nobody should ever sit in it anyway.

For quality in modern furniture, the best that I have seen is Minotti. Unfortunately, the pieces are all huge, expensive and heavy looking.

I was at Marcel Wanders studio a few summers ago and what they make there is shocking. It is just about everything that Cappellini and Moooi probably refused to produce. If you ever go to Amsterdam, email them and ask if you can check it out. They are very friendly and sell some interesting prototypes and odd objects at very nice prices.

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

their burnt furnitures sure looks ... interesting, although I suspect a not-so environment friendly production!
I agree about the rive droite chair, damn was that thing uncomfortable!
I'm currently looking at moroso for my sofa. But I will have to wait for the yearly bonus.

As always, I appreciate your hints and contributions.

!luc

 

[spertia]

Originally Posted by iammatt

As far as the LA Cappellini shop goes, the closing is not like the relocation of the Paris shop. They were only open for two years, and apparently they only did about 30k/month worth of business for the last six or seven months. At the prices, that is almost nothing. Literally. It was a joint venture with a company in LA, and that company pulled the plug. I hear that somebody else might try again soon. LA is a tough market. It is really all mid-century, B&B and what is known here as "design center". You are lucky that you are not cursed with this stuff in Paris.

What is strange about the situation is that Diva, the furniture store that opened the Cappellini showroom (as well as the Kartell one, next door to Diva), already had been carrying quite a bit of Cappellini furniture in their main showroom for a long period. They thus should have had enough experience with the brand to know whether they were selling as many pieces as needed in order to justify opening up a stand-alone Cappellini shop. Their website, www.divafurniture.com, still lists Cappellini as one of their brands, and so presumably Diva has just gone back to selling Cappellini in their regular showroom like they did before opening the separate shop.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Moroso is great. I met Patricia Urquiola once at a party in San Francisco. She is sweet, talented and pretty darn hot as well. The distribution network they use in the US is impossible. It took me a year to get a bedside table two years ago.

The Wanders shop really sells knick-nacks and unusables like different versions of the knotted chair and weird carved stuff. Very interesting to see, and you might find something to pick up for fun but no need to save up. There is nothing you really need there. It is a bit like a look three years ahead.

I think that Diva no longer sells Cappellini. It was an ugly breakup and the site is old.

 

[johnapril]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Re quality, it is hard to say. They have always been a little more "crafty" that some of the bigger manufacturers. I can't say that we have had any major problems, but their quality control is definitely lacking in some way. Our spring chair makes noise sometimes and we once received a low pad chair with a gash in it, but they took it back and made a new one, one lacquer table wasn't as perfect as it whould have been given the price. The Rive Droite chair doesn't need to be stable, because it is so damn uncomfortable that nobody should ever sit in it anyway.

For quality in modern furniture, the best that I have seen is Minotti. Unfortunately, the pieces are all huge, expensive and heavy looking.

I was at Marcel Wanders studio a few summers ago and what they make there is shocking. It is just about everything that Cappellini and Moooi probably refused to produce. If you ever go to Amsterdam, email them and ask if you can check it out. They are very friendly and sell some interesting prototypes and odd objects at very nice prices.

I would like a simple list of tips for what to look for in quality furniture. Not a list of labels. How can you tell something is well-made?

 

[Stazy]

Originally Posted by johnapril

I would like a simple list of tips for what to look for in quality furniture. Not a list of labels. How can you tell something is well-made?

If you're not in an Ikea, you're already on your way to finding quality furniture.

 

[johnapril]

Originally Posted by Stazy

If you're not in an Ikea, you're already on your way to finding quality furniture.

Yes, but I have a chair from Ikea that's 10 years old and still strong. So I would like a better explaination of the mechanics of well-made furniture.

 

[studio253]

Go Custom!!! http://www.finefurnishingsshow.com/ Check the exhibitor link list. I make it to this show every year when it comes to town.

 

[alflauren]

Well, there was some pretty modern stuff that people came up with in 1960's Denmark. Might give http://www.denmark50.com/ a try.