Since 1987, the Tuscan furniture brand Edra has been moving the design world forward. Between innovative creations, and notable collaborations with designed likes Francesco Binfaré, Masanori Umeda, the Campana Brothers, and Zaha Hadid, the label has build a name for itself at the forefront of the industry. Today, production takes place in Perignano. The company does not use industrial machinery, but assembles their products manually. “Aesthetic beauty is very important, but it must be at the same level of comfort and performance of a product,” says Niccolò Mazzei, Edra’s Director of International
Here, PALMER speaks to Mazzei about the brand’s goals, and what sets them apart.
What’s the origin of the name Edra?
The word means the object on which to sit and it was also the place where people, intellectuals, philosophers, politicians, met to talk about society and address issues for its future.
When did you enter the US market, and how important is it to the company?
Since the early years of the company there have collaborated with U.S. dealers. Today we have a structured network of dealers, with area managers who can guarantee the best support and service to people looking for products with the highest quality. They are all countries with a strong focus on true and authentic innovations and the highest quality and for this reason we are pleased to see a growing appreciation towards the collection and the brand.
A couch from the Gems collection.
How would you describe the brand’s aesthetic?
We have always worked on innovations that must, above all, bring important value to the collection itself. Projects and products are evaluated and tested for years so that they can be guaranteed and become interesting and appreciated by everyone. The company does not place any limits on those who design and has always proposed objects that never arise from research, market analysis or passing fashions, but only from the intellect of their authors. It is our duty to realize these projects in objects with superlative qualities. The final shape of an object is the last thing we work on because it is a consequence of a series of needs, while keeping in mind that elegance must never be missing.
What are some of your favorite pieces?
Every Edra collection is extraordinary. They are composed of a few models, each with unique characteristics, each with a strong connection with all the others. Products that are innovative when they are born immediately become great classics forever. From the Standard sofa, to the On the Rocks sofa, armchairs like the Flowers collection, the Chiara, Vermelha, chairs like Ella, Gina or other objects. Models that are the result of intense corporate work, that must not be subject to stylistic or technical obsolescence, made impeccably, objects that must not be recycled after a few years, that are not born behind a passing fad or from the ignoble and disrespectful imitation of an idea from some other company; objects that can last centuries and be passed down to future generations.
Seating from the Gem collection.
In a market like Palm Beach, where outdoor living is so much a part of the culture, how does one choose the right design for entertaining?
The products must guarantee the highest quality and the possibility of being used freely. We have a series of products that can be used outdoors and that offer the same quality and comfort as Edra products that can be used indoors, thanks to technologies and construction methods that only Edra has. Standard, On the Rocks, Sherazade in the outdoor version, the A’mare collection, are extraordinary and wonderful.
Seating from the weather-resistant Every Stone collection.
Tell us about your beautiful flagship showroom in Milan.
The showroom of Palazzo Durini is amazing. A classic space, covered with perfectly maintained frescoes, where thanks also to the use of mirrors that have always characterized Spazio Edra, you can appreciate even more the characteristics of each product in the collection and their quality that allows them to have a universal use in every environment, from contemporary to classic ones.
Are you doing anything special for Salone this year?
We have a collection made up of models, archetypes, that are a timeless reference. Each one has a unique history and qualities, the result of an original idea, which has become a product through Edra’s skills. This year we have introduced a collection of upholstery materials that, together with the internal materials that we use in the products, become part of a single system in perfect harmony. We study, invent and develop each component to guarantee extraordinary mechanical, dynamic and aesthetic qualities.