With the unveiling of a limited edition Dezza armchair, luxury Italian leathership Poltrona Frau continues to preside over the late architect Gio Ponti’s prolific design legacy, stewarding a 1965 concept into contemporary spaces. But what fuels this timeless synergy? It would be remiss to label the occasion, and 60th anniversary for the now iconic piece, a culmination of sorts. Through their own creative genius, Poltrona Frau taps into Ponti’s venerable stratagem that allows for decades of creation encompassing art, fabrics, ceramics, crystal, and other home furnishings.
Photo: Alecio Ferrari
Tight tailoring and modern, square lines temper gently tufted cushions and curvaceous armrests for a dynamic silhouette with enough reserve to still tease an unexpected level of comfort. Its sinewy legs maintain an angular stance poised for movement while posed for adoration from any angle where onlookers may appreciate contrasting buttons or hardware.
Photo: Alecio Ferrari
And while Dezza has remained in production since its debut shortly after the company headquartered in Tolentino, this model is remarkably different upholstered in Pelle Frau Impact Less for a product in line with the company’s broader sustainability goal. As an industry leader, the company can modernize the luxury leather tradition to meet demands for things like traceable and certified suppliers, chromium-free tanning, compensation for CO2 emissions, and certified emission reductions.
Photo: Alecio Ferrari
Shades of Panna and a brilliant Iris blue evoke the airy, joyful interiors Ponti crafted for the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Sorrento, featuring majolica floors in similar hues. The most distinctive trait of this release, though, lies in the upholstery pattern that graces the chair’s torso. It dons the reproduction of a previously unpublished illustration from Ponti’s body of work, which Poltrona Frau was able to procure and digitally print on leather using an exclusive process, adding to the project’s rich lore. The beguiling pattern is composed of 26 stylized hands, each boasting its own name and identity, such as ‘the gloved hand’, ‘the starry hand’, ‘pierced hand’, and ‘the fortune teller’s hand’ among others. In sum, Dezza balances playfulness with sophistication to articulate artisan mastery and an “intelligence of the hands” inherent in the seat’s construction.
“Ponti’s hand represents the human ability to imagine, to go beyond the world of objects to enter those of theatre, poetry and playfulness,” says Salvatore Licitra, curator of the Gio Ponti Archives.
A limited run of 60 pieces – individually numbered and identified with a metal tag on the chair’s rear, accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity – are exclusively available for purchase online at Poltrona Frau e-shops in select European markets until April 1st of this year, after which the model can also be purchased at select retail locations worldwide. But few reproductions – nay, resurrections – of designs as beloved by the public go beyond just contemporizing aesthetic elements for novelty’s sake. Poltrona Frau is continuing Ponti’s work with great fidelity.
Photo: Courtesy the Gio Ponti Archives
“We are thrilled to present this historic piece from our catalogue in a new guise. It’s a mix of excitement and gratitude for this opportunity,” says Nicola Coropulis, CEO of Poltrona Frau. “With our re-editions we always try to create and deepen the cultural significance of the original design, offering something truly exclusive that not only enhances the materials and finishes but, above all, celebrates the creative process behind the products.”
Gio Ponti \\\ Photo: Courtesy the Gio Ponti Archives
To learn more about this milestone and see more of the brand’s offering visit poltonafrau.com.
Photography courtesy of Poltrona Frau with attributions as noted.
