Timeless elegance is crafted with people at its core. Fine craftsmanship and intentional design come front and centre in Rugiano’s well-treasured pieces. To uncover the heart and soul of Rugiano, Scape spoke to Nazih Mustapha at Milan Design Week to learn more about what makes Rugiano special and its appeal to South Africans. We were later joined by Rugiano’s art director Domenico (Dodo) De Palo and South African interior designer, Kelly Fischer, from ARRCC.
Over the years, Rugiano has established itself as the premium furniture brand both in Italy and abroad. In your opinion, what attracts people to Rugiano?
At Rugiano, everything is alive. And that comes with working with special people. Here, people work with the heart. When you are working with these very high-end products, you are working with the best designers to bring the best craftmanship. From the people making the furniture, to people designing the furniture, to the people in the office — this is a big family that really works together with passion to deliver the best to the world. And in the world of luxury, it’s about the product: good design with the purpose of making it last long.
Rugiano has grown popularity in South Africa. Where do you see these products working really well in South Africa?
The South African market is evolving all the time. And it’s very brand conscious. I saw a gap in South Africa with consumers who want high-end brands, but they also want personality. And this is what Rugiano is; it has a strong personality, yet it is very modern and luxurious.When we first brought Rugiano to South Africa, we didn’t explain the story behind the brand. We simply presented the product to the community and they took to the brand almost instantly. The reaction we received from South Africa was truly amazing. We knew, then, that a brand like Rugiano was missing in the South African market. That’s why we are openng two showrooms, one in Johannesburg and another in Cape Town, dedicated solely to this brand to enable the South Africans to see the products, to experience it, and to appreciate it.
The art director of Rugiano joined the conversation to tell us more about their designs showcased at Milan Design Week.
Can you walk us through the collection displayed at Milan Design Week? What was the process of conceptualising these designs?
There’s a range of pieces here. We have both indoor and outdoor furniture. A lot of these designs, you’ll see, are centred around the body. It’s round and it’s soft; it’s meant to feel like a hug. We wanted the sofas and chairs to shape the body. We also designed with comfort in mind. We have the Manta Chaise Longue, which is quite elongated and great for relaxing. That’s what all of our sofas and chairs are for. We’re always thinking about what people want; besides something that looks beautiful, they are also looking for comfort. It’s functional; it’s a piece that you will use. And you can see that they’re all quite sculptural. I don’t like straight lines. So, there’s this organic, dynamic feel to the pieces.
What makes Rugiano so special and unique is that everything is alive… Here, people work with the heart.
Regarding form and materiality, how do you design to highlight both the functional and structural appeal of Rugiano?
Again, comfort and functionality are our main priority when it comes to choosing materials. And that goes hand-in-hand with the design. The Abbra sofa has soft foam and curves, so you don’t need cushions. The Nido chair has this weave-like structure, and the fabric is weather-proofed using strong, durable textiles. Across all of our products, to maintain the stylistic and elegant touch of Rugiano, we craft with luxurious fabrics in a sculptural form. Every element is intentional. It serves a purpose beyond aesthetics that extends to comfort, practicality, and function.
Similarly, South African interior design firm, ARRCC, curates homes that are centred around intimacy. Through designing residential, hospitality, and leisure interiors, the firm focuses on personality-driven designs that are exclusive but contextually relevant. Interior designer Kelly Fischer explains the impulse to design spaces that feel lived-in and reflect their clients’ tastes. Aware that Rugiano is expanding to a local market, she joined the conversation to give insight into the South African interior design landscape and the growing local luxury space.
What is ARRCC’s design philosophy and how does it relate to the finishes you ultimately choose for projects?
ARRCC’s philosophy is rooted in human-centric design. So, we pick finishes and materials that are personal for our clients and make the space engaging and feel like home.
ARRCC has a distinctive design language that blends contemporary luxury with bold, African influences. How do you see South African interior design evolving in the global luxury space?
South Africa offers a unique perspective. We have designs that are rooted in nature and culture and soul. As the global market is seeking more connection between regions, the South African influence becomes more pivotal and our clients are seeking South African designers so that we can offer something unique to their projects.
Furniture also plays a pivotal role in shaping how an interior informs its personality or the emotion of a space. What do you ultimately want a homeowner to feel in their space?
We want them to feel at home. We want them to feel comfortable like it’s a space that they had a hand in creating. We want to make it seem as though there was never a designer involved, like the space has been curated over a long period of time and not like we just went and bought a catalogue of furniture. We’re always trying to tell the story of how our clients got to where they are in their lives and how they enjoy living in their space.
As we end off Milan Design Week, what do you think makes this event, an event of the scale, so significant and exciting for designers? It’s really one-of-a-kind. It brings together visionaries in the design industry, from very established brands and designers to those that are up-and-coming. And it also offers a plat-form for dialogue about new trends and how we can evolve design in a meaningful way.
