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TOLLGARD ’ S LOVE OF ITALY
Globally revered for its design excellence , Italy is home to some of the world ’ s best interior and architectural design . Coursing through generations , Italian design combines an appreciation for meticulous craft , a balance of form and function , and a resounding rejection of mediocrity . Great masters of the 20th-century like Gio Ponti , Mario Ceroli and Marco Zanuso continue to influence the designers of today with their timeless modern designs .
Award-winning interior and product designer , Staffan Tollgård is one of these designers . For FOCUS this year , he wanted to celebrate Italian design with a showcase of Italy ’ s finest contemporary craftsmen . In the lead-up , Staffan spoke to The Art of Design to discuss the foundations of his love for Italy .
What are your first memories of Italy ?
A summer holiday in Liguria in 1982 . I was 10 and enjoyed the summer in Italy immensely . My strongest memory is probably watching the World Cup final between Germany and Italy . My father dragged out the whole family to watch the game in a bar , including my 4-year-old brother . The problem was that we weren ’ t alone in wanting to do this and the only place we could find where there was space for us to watch was a German restaurant ! We were the only family cheering for Italy and when Italy won , we were pretty much thrown out . The streets burst alive into a carnival which lasted most of the night .
What drew you to Italian design ?
There is a sleekness and sophistication in a lot of modern and contemporary Italian design that is almost unrivalled . There is simply such a wealth of design from the second part of the 20th century as well as the very contemporary that you will always find something you like as well as something you love .