Made in Italy: Latest Minotti Creations Demonstrate Elegant Design and Creative Collaboration

In a hotly anticipated launch that delighted fans of contemporary furniture, internationally renowned Italian maker Minotti recently lifted the veil on its latest collaboration with design partner GamFratesi. Now in its fifth year, the long-running partnership has culminated in a stunning new collection that artfully fuses the aesthetic essence of both brands.

In an intimate store interview, we caught up with representatives of Minotti and GamFratesi to find out more.

A meeting of minds

“Minotti is a special company. The way they work is very intimate, and they don’t appoint many designers, so we’re very pleased to collaborate,” Enrico Fratesi says.

An architect by trade, Fratesi established the GamFratesi design studio in 2006 alongside Danish architect Stine Gam. Based in Copenhagen, the studio’s success stems from the duo’s contrasting strengths: Fratesi’s exuberance, openness, and classically Italian conceptual approach; and Gam’s distinctly Danish ethos of simplicity and harmony.

It’s this intriguing cross-cultural mindset that GamFratesi brings to the Minotti partnership, leading to a working relationship that blurs boundaries between nations, cultures, and creative approaches.

“We want to introduce some of our Scandinavian philosophy into the Minotti universe without forgetting both our Italian and Scandinavian origins. With this way of working, and our combined savoir-faire, we find a beautiful balance together,” Fratesi says.

Minotti, of course, is a staunchly Italian brand, with design codes manifested by aesthetic understatement, artisanal details, and timeless sophistication. Established in 1948 by Alberto Minotti, it remains family-run, while each product released by the company carries the prestigious “Made in Italy” label.

“Italian products embody an intrinsic value that distinguishes them from any other country thanks to the attention to detail, the quality of the raw materials, and the manual skill undertaken with passion and care. These concepts are expressed from the first moment you see and touch our upholstered seats, each made according to the ‘Made in Italy’ elegance, heritage, and taste,” Alessio Minotti, manager of research and development, says.

So, with Minotti upholding such a proud Italian culture within its designs, how does GamFratesi’s quasi-Nordic attitude fit in?

“We apply Scandinavian design principles, such as simplicity, functionality, and materiality,” Fratesi says. “Italian design is always a consideration, often starting with an idea and a conversation. In our initial briefing with Minotti, we envision the way of living for the next year. We come with our ideas, and they’re very strong in the design [elements], so we discuss incorporating both together from the very beginning.”

Dressed to impress

The latest iteration of the collaboration between GamFratesi and Minotti is the Raphael family of seats. Encompassing three kinds of sofa, four varieties of armchairs, two bijou dining armchairs, and two footstools, the collection’s stylish good looks reflect Minotti’s irresistibly timeless design ethos.

Generously proportioned organic forms are crafted with refined tailoring and GamFratesi’s light touch to meet the various demands of everyday life.