The Italian furniture brand Cassina, founded as ‘Amedeo Cassina’ by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina, is getting ready to celebrate its 90th anniversary next year, with a special programs that comes to rediscover and reinforce the identity of 9 icons, which represent its history. The nine icons were recently launched to include the following: the Black Red and Blue Chair, and the Utrecht Armchair by Gerrit T. Rietveld; the Doge Table by Carlo Scarpa; and the Wink Chaise Longue by Kita Toshiyuki; and the Met Club armchair and Chaise Longue by Piero Lissoni. All five hold fascinating biography, representing what has become synonymous with contemporary design in their own age, pieces which to date have never been revised or transformed. The Black Red and Blue, first produced in 1918 in unpainted wood, was born from Rietveld’s chromatic experimentation, based on the concept of spatial organization, and expressed through the monochrome tones of its elements; the Utrecht Armchair, initially designed in 1935 for the Metz&co department store for widespread distribution, represents the Rietveld’s decision to adopt a more ‘market-oriented’ approach to comfort and relaxation. Scarpa’s Doge Table, one of the cornerstone of the Ultrazionale Movement, established with the aim of overcoming the strict limits of rationalism; the Wink Chaise Longue, with its with adjustable positions and Mickyey Mouse ears, represented an innovative approach to the new trends of a generation with a changing attitude to living in the 80s, representing an informal and ‘colourful’ lifestyle; and Piero Lissoni’s Met Sofa came to define the design fabric of the 90s, with its return to order and conventions. Congratulations, Cassina, the company I adore, and thank you for becoming a part of my film program on collecting design when sponsoring the films on collecting Charlotte Perriand and Frank Lloyd Wright.
