Talking to Carola Bestetto, CEO of Living Divano since 2020, is the perfect antidote for any designer enthusiasts feeling disenchanted with reality. Through sharp insight and great enthusiasm, Bestetto led the long-standing brand into the future, remaining true to its funding values while opening towards a new phase of interest in new kinds of languages, discoveries and talents.
Living Divanni was founded in 1969 in the Brianza region, northern Italy, thanks to an intuition of Carola’s parents, Renata Pozzoli and Luigi Bastetti, who made upholstered furniture their trademark. The brand quickly established itself as a key player in the design world, focusing on its attention to details and the harmony of proportion, two principles at the very heart of the luxury concept. Living Divani is deeply rooted in the local region, and it has always been committed to pursuing high quality materials, production and human relationships,” explains Bestetti. “As a family-run brand, connecting with people is crucial: this is what makes us stand apart from other important brands. I love saying that Living Divani is like an evolved craftsman. But, little by little, we are incorporating new technologies, which are becoming increasingly essential while constantly developing and evolving. The human element is always central and vital for any company, but even more so for a brand like ours. Our products are designed to stand the test of time, both as objects and as aesthetic elements. We don’t follow trends and fads of the moment, as they are inherently fleeting. We keep on following our idea of quiet luxury, which does not clash with the surrounding environment but rather exalts its key elements.”
A cornerstone of the brand’s creative journey is its longstanding collaboration with Piero Lissoni, who has played the dual role of both art director and designer since 1988. Through his unmistakable signature designs, Lissoni has created a unique style, which, under Carola Bestetti’s leadership, has been further enriched. The result is a progressive creative and productive process that led to an increasingly varied offer, developed around upholstery for both indoor and outdoors. They created small galaxies made of collections of beds, chairs, armchairs, tables, coffee tables, bookcases, storage pieces, and rugs, all working together to craft cohesive environments – from minimalist and precise to eclectic and decorative. To complete and give its spark to their offering is the Styling Display Project: a series of small-sized sculptures with archetypal shapes that capture and communicate the essence of Living Divani’s world. The brand also has a strong presence in the contract sector. Its emphasis on quality, technical performance, and customization has made the brand a trusted name at international level in offices, banks, airports, hotels, lounges, museums, restaurants, showrooms – and even the nautical world.
“Piero came to the company in 1986, when no one had yet noticed him, asking to become art director. However, at that time, that role was basically nonexistent in companies and my parents were already collaborating with important brands,” explained Bestetti. “One of our consultants stated following his work I the following years and soon recognized his value; so they went back to him, asking to work with them. Lissoni managed to give shapes to my parents’ ideas and energy. He was able to perfectly and coherently interpret what their vision for the company was. This is what gave him the freedom to experiment, starting with his first upholstered piece, the Calibano sofa, and extending into architecture. His first residential renovation and his first industrial project were, in fact, my parents’ home (1995–1998) and the new Living Divani headquarters, which opened in 2007. What emerged was an experimental space shaped by mutual trust and harmony, one that expressed a bold and unmistakable stylistic identity.
Since September 2020, the Living Divani Gallery – designed by Piero Lissoni – has served as the brand’s new outpost in Milan: a theatrical stage where the many facets of its style take center stage. Through a series of distinct display areas, the gallery offers a step-by-step journey designed to surprise and enchant, all in perfect harmony. “My sister and I truly grew up within the company; we were always there, even celebrating our birthdays at the office,” Bestetti recalls. “Piero was always around too, experimenting, painting. We constantly saw him at work, not only designing products but also the spaces set up. I absorbed everything. Even though I wasn’t an architect, I was raised in an environment filled with design, creativity, and imagination. Therefore, my eye has always been positively spoiled, capable of catching quality and elegance at first glance, from more classic, decorative craftsmanship to a minimalist and modern evolution that reflects the spirit of the times.”
Living Divani has followed the spiral of design while maintaining its vitality and personal touch. It has achieved the rare feat of embracing a wide range of design voices and product types, which represent both great challenges and key opportunities for growth, for example collaborations like the one with Junya Ishigami. At the same time, the brand continues to support young talents, giving them space in an industry that too often limits creative freedom, bringing in new energy and encouraging freer, more fluid thinking, made up of diverse gestures that can be reinterpreted each time through the lens of Living Divani’s identity. This results in a creative and evolving process that also ensures long-term continuity, thanks to a constant exchange of ideas and a kind of ongoing editorial dialogue aimed at aligning on shared intentions and aesthetics.”
Much of this has been made possible thanks to the inspiration and provocation sparked by Bestetti herself, her relentless pursuit of research and dialogue with the public, insatiable passion and curiosity, and her rare combination of humility and sharp, visionary insight. “With the opening of the Living Divani Gallery, we’ve had the opportunity – in our own small way – to bring renewed attention to the importance of design culture, which, for us, is the driving force behind every creation and towards the future. And it’s not just about product design, it’s about applying a design mindset to life itself, and the way we choose to shape it,” Bestetti concludes.