17 December 2009

Celebrating 60 years of Kartell

Six decades of Kartell secures the iconic status of the groundbreaking brand.

Sixty years in the making and Kartell’s unique furniture designs still maintain their innovative edge – a quirky style that sets them apart from their imitators.

Since being founded in 1949 by Giulio Castelli – the quintessestially Italian manufacturers have been pushing the limits of the design industry, pairing technological research with liveable design.

Their plastics have become iconic, making their way into luxury designer hotels and restaurants around the world. Collaborations with names like Philippe Starck, who in 2002 created the ‘Louis Ghost Chair’ – the best selling plastic chair of all time – have kept them at the forefront of modern design.

Bizarrely, their first product was a ski-rack manufactured for Pirelli, but it was their move into home wares, which was to pave the way for the visionary brand’s popularity.

In the 60s the company turned their hand to children’s furniture, a move which turned out to be a significant one, with the launch of the ‘Sedia per Bambini 4999’ – the world’s first plastic chair, which became the choice chair for Italy’s private schools.

In later years they have continued to test the latest technological advances, allowing them to create high plastic stools embedded with metal inserts.

Today, the team collaborate with international designers using cutting edge technology to produce some startling additions to the design world.

Fun forays into fashion with houses like Missoni and Moschino lending their prints to the chairs ensure there is always a new iconic piece to tempt design lovers.

Space Furniture stock the full Kartell collection in their Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane stores.

Space Furniture
spacefurniture.com