INTERVIEW with Manuela Simonelli, designer of Quaglio & Simonelli design studio

With its unmistakable shape Mafleur is one of the most recent and distinctive seats of Montbel collection. Designed by the designers Quaglio & Simonelli, Mafleur takes on the appearance of a light flower, with the distinctive profile of the backrest traced so that it looks parted in three: a composition of gently rounded sheets of wood that turn into soft cozy petals once padded.

“Mafleur is a very feminine chair – explains designer Manuela Simonelli – we worked a rigid and solid material like wood as something fluid, light, at the service of comfort”.

A visual comfort that shows in the small wrinkles that characterize the finish of the padding: it is aesthetic that always bows to functionality.

“A designer is not an independent artist- she continues- he/she draws an object that must be used and which must be comfortable or ergonomic, as appropriate. It is therefore common to undergo several changes from the initial concept to the concrete realization of the item. We adapt to commercial, brand-related and final usage needs. There are plenty of uncomfortable chairs around. That’s why I think that designing furnitures requires great adaptability. At the same time we are keen in following the whole production in order to maintain the initial idea. It is very interesting to see how a project evolves from concept to completion. “

And how does your project develop?

“Each project is different. We start with a brief from the company, look around and then seek inspiration. Nature, works of art, fashion. Curiosity is the starting point, then ideas come. Sometimes even without realizing it ”.

What person is the designer?

“The designer is a curious person, who seeks, observes, draws and redesigns until she/he gets to something convincing enough. In our case, being two, the development of ideas is always shared.

As a designer, from which angle should Mafleur be observed?

Most chairs are seen mainly from behind. With Mafleur we emphasized the detail of the backrest, thinking about its location within prestigious and sophisticated situations.

What do you love about design in this specific field of interior furnishing for contract industry?

We work in very different sectors, from lamps to industrial and technological products, to items for cosmetic industry but chairs have always been a source of great inspiration for designers. Also because a chair is never just a chair, but a family of objects. It’s almost never sold alone, you have to think of it as part of a setting. The contract market is a very interesting filed, with remarkable growth opportunity that gives us designers the chance to create more daring products, with a bolder design.