Promemoria, an upscale furniture brand originating from the shores of Lake Como in Italy, derives its name from the idea of “inheritance and protection”. It represents the ingenuity and emotion of four generations of a family, and is also a carrier for recording the past and looking forward to a better future. At this year’s Milan Furniture Fair, Promemoria launched several series and products, including The London Collection – Act II which is the brand’s collaboration with the London-based David Collins Studio’s , and the Joie de Vivre Collection jointly created by Romeo Sozzi, Davide Sozzi and Andrea Sanguineti. Combining traditional essence with innovative ideas, it demonstrates its spirit of pursuing ultimate beauty and bringing joy to everyone.
Romeo Sozzi, the founder of Promemoria is the soul of the brand. His family made a living by repairing aristocratic carriages in the 19th century, laying the foundation for exquisite craftsmanship. Romeo founded Promemoria in 1988, combining the family’s passion for wood and metal with the craftsmanship of artisan in furniture. To this day, Promemoria serves as an example of the pinnacle of Italian furniture.
Romeo, a graduate of the Brera Academy, is in his 70s now and he carries a notebook and pen with him to record his inspirations as usual, transforming the beauty of everyday life into unique works. He believes that furniture is not only furniture, but also emotions etched in memory. Romeo and his son Davide share with us the brand spirit behind Promemoria.
The London Collection – Act II reignites the creative dialogue between Promemoria and David Collins Studio and is a natural continuation in their collaborative relationship since their first collaboration in 2015.
The Bilou Bilou dining chair is one of Promemoria’s most iconic pieces. The design was inspired by the Thonet chair that Romeo saw in a restaurant in the UK, and was reinterpreted with simple and elegant lines. The name of the chair came from the idea he came up with when he and his friend were observing a kitten splooting on the ground. The pronunciation of the chair, “Bilou Bilou”, is so cute and enchanting that it makes people smile. This chair is adored by many people, and Romeo is not limited to his own designs. He collaborates with different designers and architects with an open attitude, allowing others to interpret his designs from new perspectives. When we asked about his favorite collaboration, Romeo shared: “It’s really difficult, but one of the iconic ones is the one for the Lion Chair, that is in collaboration with a Neapolitan architect, Ricardo.” The Lion Chair, with its simple lines, comfort and style, is currently on display in the Angelina Kitchen restaurant named after Romeo’s mother.
Romeo shared: “The DNA of Promemoria, is probably respecting tradition. It has always followed the brand’s traditional philosophy. The collaborative idea I’m sharing with the architect is to create a real environment that is not only luxurious, but also happy.
The Bilou Bilou, one of Promemoria's most iconic dining chairs.
"The quality and craftsmanship is peculiarity for Promemoria. We do everything tailor made and custom made for clients and for everything they need."
Romeo Sozzi, Founder of Promemoria
Romeo’s overall design exudes a sense of solid but meek, but in each piece of work, you can see his emphasis on materials and the ultimate pursuit of details. If you look more closely, you will see the imperceptible unique features. For instance, the legs of the sofa or the coffee table are not simple rectangles or rounds, but the arcs somewhere embody different levels, which heightens the visual experience. When you discover those tiny details, simple joy may spring up naturally.
Romeo shared with us Promemoria’s brand DNA. In addition to the continuation of tradition and bravely moving forward, what is more important is to be happy in everything you do. Happiness is a key that the brand highly values. This year, Promemoria launched the Joie de Vivre series, which is based on the “Joy of Living” and incorporates the emotion of joy into furniture creation. The Rêve la Mer coffee table, designed by Romeo, is inspired by sea waves, while the soft tones of solid linden evoke being on the beach. The undulating lines at the center of the tabletop are like gentle waves, and visually resemble small sand dunes on the beach after a breeze. The gaps create a visual effect of interlaced light and shadow, still yet flowing, which is spectacularly poetic and full of joy.
Another highlight of the Joie de Vivre collection is the Agharti bar cabinet designed by Romeo’s second son, Davide Sozzi. Agharti, a mysterious term derived from a legendary kingdom located on the inner surface of the earth, inspired architect and designer Davide to explore hidden corners and parallel dimensions. Last year, he thrilled everyone when he launched the white Agharti sideboard with terracotta bubbles; this year, the Agharti bar cabinet is once again Davide’s success and joy from exploration and experimentation. This new Agharti bar cabinet has a deep grey eucalyptus wood structure with a twilight-toned surface and a leaden aroma. It is worth mentioning that Davide specially invited craftsmen from the shores of Lake Como to hand-make pieces of charcoal-hued glazed terracotta tiles, adding vinegar and baking soda during the production process to create a unique bumpy texture. While the charcoal hue comes with a semi-gloss finish for a mesmerizing visual effect. The interior of the Agharti bar cabinet features shelves, drawers and a built-in refrigerator upholstered in elegant ivory white leather, which is both visually striking and highly practical.
Davide grew up in an environment of exquisite craftsmanship. Like his father, he always carries paper and pen with him, but unlike his father, he is keen on exploring the collision of multiple materials. “Materials are important, especially those with a history, such as the stones that came from the Ice Age. This material is serpentino, it is a stone that comes from a certain region of Als. And I love this material because we have this around Lake Como”, he shared. His father was fond of using wood and copper, while he loved exploring the possibilities of materials and giving furniture unique special breaths. During the Milan Fair, it is not easy to stand out as both furniture and other brands all want to shine. Confronted with challenges, Davide is innovative, fearless of failure and never gives up easily. Glass and ceramics in the past.
During his experiments, experienced craftsmen often told him what to do, but Davide always had different ideas. When a craftsman says “impossible”. He insisted, “Let’s try to do that. Let’s try.” In the end, the craftsman exclaimed: “”Oh damn, it’s fantastic!”” Davide shared that he often faces failure, but he enjoys learning from failure and exploring new possibilities in an interesting and unconventional way.
Promemoria’s latest work also includes a second collaboration with David Collins Studio, which continues for 10 years. The London Collection – Act II is a new series of works that combines Italian craftsmanship with British elegance. Using natural materials such as white oak, wood inlay and bronze, we create a furniture collection with delicate touches and soft tones, showing harmony. A story of feeling and craftsmanship. Among them, the Richmond cabinet, Putney chair and the Battersea modular side table is fascinating.
View this post on Instagram
In addition, Bottega Ghianda, Promemoria’s sister brand is a very historic brand, and its works are known for their exquisite appearance and excellence. The mortise and tenon joint craftsmanship is well-known, and every detail reveals a light and delicate touch that is intoxicating. Romeo shared that Promemoria and Bottega Ghianda have a very similar philosophy, committed to incorporating exquisite craftsmanship into furniture design, and the latter is very specialized in wood craftsmanship. In Promemoria’s showroom, a butler valet stand named Alfred exudes elegance with its long, tapered legs and open arms, cradling a sleek storage box. This refined piece welcomes you to hang attire with effortless sophistication.
The Libreria girevole da tavolo, a cube-shaped table bookcase spins like a windmill when it rotates on a wooden disk and the two bases are connected by oval-shaped wooden baguettes; and exquisite works such as the Filippo side table and the Michele dining table, all of which are fascinating with their unique charm.
Promemoria’s spirit is symbolized by the frog, which is amphibious and leaps forward, bravely striding into the future. A successful brand not only has exquisite craftsmanship, innovative thinking, and a happy mood, but also has the courage to move forward in every future.
Editor
Nico ChungCredit
Images: Daniele Cortese. Courtesy of Promemoria
