One of the undisputed protagonists in the history of the set-ups of the Salone del Mobile no doubt is Ferruccio Laviani. He made more than 100, 32 of which for Kartell alone. They all share a common trait: the ability of using a contemporary language also when dealing with history and memory. Two, out of them all, remain unparalleled. One was made in 2000 for Flos at Euroluce to showcase the Lux Lust lamp collection by Philippe Starck. Laviani opted for a series of female mannequins dressed up as provocative maids, so as to turn the environment into a hybrid of a hotel foyer and an Allen Jones’ sculpture exhibition. 

The other was the memorable 2003 set-up for Kartell: in a time of political uncertainty triggered by the Gulf War, Laviani decided to share a message of peace and hope, building a ramp in the rainbow colours of the peace flag adopting a figurative language typical of Antonio Lopez’ 1970s illustrations. This to prove that also set-ups can establish a constructive dialogue with their times and issues. 

Opening image: Ferruccio Laviani set-up for Kartell, 2003. Courtesy APFL Studio Laviani