B&B Italia
Encyclopedia
B&B Italia SpA is an Italian
modern furniture
company whose luxury products are sold worldwide. The company was founded in 1966 by the Busnelli family, who currently manages the company. On March 1, 2011, the Busnelli family officially became majority shareholders of the company once again and now own 98.5% of the shares.
The United States subsidiary, B&B Italia USA Inc., is located in Manhattan
, New York
in the Architects and Designers Building above their American flagship store in midtown.
B&B Italia has won 4 Compasso d'oro (Golden Compasses), the most prestigious Italian Design award. In 1974 Sisamo Studio Kairos, 1979 Le Bambole Mario Bellini, 1987 Sity Antonio Citterio and in 1989 B&B Italia became the first company to be recognized with a Compasso d'oro directly awarded to a design manufacturing company. Since 1966 there have been over 1000 B&B Italia designs (including prototypes).
Over 3% of B&B Italia's annual sales is reinvested in Research and Development. In 2010 a new foaming department - a process for which B&B is renowned as being an innovator and for revolutionizing the way upholstery is produced - was established and put into use with an investment of 4 Million Euro.
B&B Italia Home: Defined by now classic products such as the Up Series Chair by Gaetano Pesce
, the Charles Sofa by Antonio Citterio
, Tufty Time by Patricia Urquiola
and The Moon System Sofa by Zaha Hadid
, the B&B Italia Home Collection is the base upon which the company was built. Known for a modern and minimal aesthetic B&B has become one of the most recognized and acclaimed Italian furniture manufacturers in the world. It is renowned for its comfort and attention to detail.
Maxalto: The Maxalto Collection was established in 1975 and is marked by skilled craftsmanship in wood processing. The Collection now includes a wide range of products with shapes drawing inspiration from the typologies and styles of French design between the two World Wars. Maxalto is a comprehensive line of interior furnishings designed and coordinated by Antonio Citterio
. Maxalto is often sold within B&B Italia stores but has in the last decade established itself more and more as its own brand. The first stand alone Maxalto store opened in Paris, France. In 2008 the first monobrand store in the US opened in Chicago, IL followed soon after by Miami, FL.. There are four collections within Maxalto: Apta, Simplice, AC and, released in 2010, Acro. Maxalto received a lot of press attention in 2008 when it was featured in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.
B&B Italia Outdoor: Designed specifically for indoor/outdoor living, B&B has greatly expanded their outdoor seating line since the inception of Canasta by Patricia Urquiola
in 2007. Since then, the collection has grown to include outdoor complements by Jean-Marie Massaud
and Marcel Wanders
in addition to new pieces by Patricia Urquiola
and Atelier Oï. New products for the line are currently being designed by Naoto Fukasawa and Antonio Citterio.
B&B Italia Project: The Project Collection is a coordinated range of tables, chairs and soft seating specifically designed and engineered for the contract market. It is often, but not exclusively, used in workplaces, restaurants, hotels, and public spaces. Project furniture uses particular materials suitable for greater endurance; it is rigorously tested and held to the highest industry standards.
B&B Italia Object The Object Collection is a recent addition to the B&B Home Collection and includes vases, trays, bowls, pillows, lighting and various other accessories by renowned designers.
B&B Italia Contract: The B&B Italia Contract Division handles the “turnkey” projects for furnishings and/or layout in hotel areas, offices, retail, institutions, stores, cruise liners, etc. The Contract Division is designed to be a “department of services” that manages complex and highly detailed contracts for furnishings, from projects to logistics and from materials procurement to installation. Recently the Contract Division completed the newly opened W Retreat and Spa of Vieques Island designed with Patricia Urquiola and The Nieuw Amsterdam Luxury Cruise Line for Holland America with 1564 cabins. It was launched in Venice on July 4th. Future projects include the W Hotel St. Petersburg designed by Antonio Citterio and 2 exclusive resorts in Greece.
MOOOI: B&B Italia owns 50% of the design company Moooi who recently opened a Shop-in-Shop in B&B's Soho store in New York City. Moooi is a Dutch company for which Marcel Wanders
serves as co-owner and art director.
Distribution B&B Italia and Maxalto have 750 points of sale worldwide including 7 flagship stores (Milan, London, Munich, Paris, Chicago and 2 in New York), 20 monobrand stores and over 70 Shop-in-Shops in the biggest cities in the world. New stores have recently opened in Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo in 2010.
Designers The following designers have worked with the B&B Italia design department to come up with furniture and object designs that simultaneously express the designer's vision and are fully incorporated into the aesthetic of B&B Italia. These designers work with B&B Italia because of the manufacturing mastery and attention to detail that has made B&B the leader in furniture and design production. The list basically reads like a "who's who" of modern design. They are: Antonio Citterio, Patricia Urquiola, Gaetano Pesce, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Marcel Wanders, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Jean-Marie Massaud, Jeffrey Bernett, Mario Bellini, Studio Kairos, Paolo Piva, Richard Schultz, Atelier Oi, David Chipperfield, C. Gerhards and A. Glucker, Chris Howker, Ettore Sottsass, Gabriele and Oscar Buratti, Jakob Wagner, Monica Armani, Nicole Aebischer, Roberto Barbieri, Uwe Fischer, Vincent Van Duysen and others.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
modern furniture
Modern furniture
Modern furniture refers to furniture produced from the late 19th century through the present that is influenced by modernism. It was a tremendous departure from all furniture design that had gone before it. Dark or gilded carved wood and richly patterned fabrics gave way to the glittering...
company whose luxury products are sold worldwide. The company was founded in 1966 by the Busnelli family, who currently manages the company. On March 1, 2011, the Busnelli family officially became majority shareholders of the company once again and now own 98.5% of the shares.
The United States subsidiary, B&B Italia USA Inc., is located in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the Architects and Designers Building above their American flagship store in midtown.
B&B Italia has won 4 Compasso d'oro (Golden Compasses), the most prestigious Italian Design award. In 1974 Sisamo Studio Kairos, 1979 Le Bambole Mario Bellini, 1987 Sity Antonio Citterio and in 1989 B&B Italia became the first company to be recognized with a Compasso d'oro directly awarded to a design manufacturing company. Since 1966 there have been over 1000 B&B Italia designs (including prototypes).
Over 3% of B&B Italia's annual sales is reinvested in Research and Development. In 2010 a new foaming department - a process for which B&B is renowned as being an innovator and for revolutionizing the way upholstery is produced - was established and put into use with an investment of 4 Million Euro.
Collections
B&B Italia has two divisions the Home Division (focused on the residential market) and the Contract Division (turn-key solutions for hospitality, marine, retail and offices). There are two brands B&B Italia and Maxalto. Within B&B Italia there are 4 different Collections.B&B Italia Home: Defined by now classic products such as the Up Series Chair by Gaetano Pesce
Gaetano Pesce
Gaetano Pesce is an Italian architect and designer.-Biography:Gaetano Pesce was born in La Spezia in 1939. He studied Architecture at the University of Venice. He has since worked worldwide as an architect and a designer for companies such as B&B Italia, Vitra and Cassina. His most famous building...
, the Charles Sofa by Antonio Citterio
Antonio Citterio
Antonio Citterio is an Italian furniture designer and industrial designer who lives and works in Milan.Citterio graduated in architecture at the Politecnico di Milano and since 1972 has worked for many leading manufacturers such as Ansorg, B&B Italia, Flexform, Flos, Hackman, Iittala, Hansgrohe,...
, Tufty Time by Patricia Urquiola
Patricia Urquiola
Patricia Urquiola is a Spanish architect and designer.-Biography:Urquiola was born in Oviedo and now lives and works in Milan. She attended the Faculty of Architecture of the Technical University of Madrid where she graduated in 1989 having done a thesis with Achille Castiglioni...
and The Moon System Sofa by Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
, the B&B Italia Home Collection is the base upon which the company was built. Known for a modern and minimal aesthetic B&B has become one of the most recognized and acclaimed Italian furniture manufacturers in the world. It is renowned for its comfort and attention to detail.
Maxalto: The Maxalto Collection was established in 1975 and is marked by skilled craftsmanship in wood processing. The Collection now includes a wide range of products with shapes drawing inspiration from the typologies and styles of French design between the two World Wars. Maxalto is a comprehensive line of interior furnishings designed and coordinated by Antonio Citterio
Antonio Citterio
Antonio Citterio is an Italian furniture designer and industrial designer who lives and works in Milan.Citterio graduated in architecture at the Politecnico di Milano and since 1972 has worked for many leading manufacturers such as Ansorg, B&B Italia, Flexform, Flos, Hackman, Iittala, Hansgrohe,...
. Maxalto is often sold within B&B Italia stores but has in the last decade established itself more and more as its own brand. The first stand alone Maxalto store opened in Paris, France. In 2008 the first monobrand store in the US opened in Chicago, IL followed soon after by Miami, FL.. There are four collections within Maxalto: Apta, Simplice, AC and, released in 2010, Acro. Maxalto received a lot of press attention in 2008 when it was featured in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.
B&B Italia Outdoor: Designed specifically for indoor/outdoor living, B&B has greatly expanded their outdoor seating line since the inception of Canasta by Patricia Urquiola
Patricia Urquiola
Patricia Urquiola is a Spanish architect and designer.-Biography:Urquiola was born in Oviedo and now lives and works in Milan. She attended the Faculty of Architecture of the Technical University of Madrid where she graduated in 1989 having done a thesis with Achille Castiglioni...
in 2007. Since then, the collection has grown to include outdoor complements by Jean-Marie Massaud
Jean-Marie Massaud
Jean-Marie Massaud is an architect, inventor and designer. He was born in Toulouse, France in 1966.He graduated from the École Nationale Supérieur de Création Industrielle - Les Ateliers, Paris in 1990 and began working with Marc Berthier...
and Marcel Wanders
Marcel Wanders
Marcel Wanders is a Dutch product and interior designer, who drew international recognition for his Knotted Chair produced by Droog in 1996.- Life :...
in addition to new pieces by Patricia Urquiola
Patricia Urquiola
Patricia Urquiola is a Spanish architect and designer.-Biography:Urquiola was born in Oviedo and now lives and works in Milan. She attended the Faculty of Architecture of the Technical University of Madrid where she graduated in 1989 having done a thesis with Achille Castiglioni...
and Atelier Oï. New products for the line are currently being designed by Naoto Fukasawa and Antonio Citterio.
B&B Italia Project: The Project Collection is a coordinated range of tables, chairs and soft seating specifically designed and engineered for the contract market. It is often, but not exclusively, used in workplaces, restaurants, hotels, and public spaces. Project furniture uses particular materials suitable for greater endurance; it is rigorously tested and held to the highest industry standards.
B&B Italia Object The Object Collection is a recent addition to the B&B Home Collection and includes vases, trays, bowls, pillows, lighting and various other accessories by renowned designers.
B&B Italia Contract: The B&B Italia Contract Division handles the “turnkey” projects for furnishings and/or layout in hotel areas, offices, retail, institutions, stores, cruise liners, etc. The Contract Division is designed to be a “department of services” that manages complex and highly detailed contracts for furnishings, from projects to logistics and from materials procurement to installation. Recently the Contract Division completed the newly opened W Retreat and Spa of Vieques Island designed with Patricia Urquiola and The Nieuw Amsterdam Luxury Cruise Line for Holland America with 1564 cabins. It was launched in Venice on July 4th. Future projects include the W Hotel St. Petersburg designed by Antonio Citterio and 2 exclusive resorts in Greece.
MOOOI: B&B Italia owns 50% of the design company Moooi who recently opened a Shop-in-Shop in B&B's Soho store in New York City. Moooi is a Dutch company for which Marcel Wanders
Marcel Wanders
Marcel Wanders is a Dutch product and interior designer, who drew international recognition for his Knotted Chair produced by Droog in 1996.- Life :...
serves as co-owner and art director.
Distribution B&B Italia and Maxalto have 750 points of sale worldwide including 7 flagship stores (Milan, London, Munich, Paris, Chicago and 2 in New York), 20 monobrand stores and over 70 Shop-in-Shops in the biggest cities in the world. New stores have recently opened in Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo in 2010.
Designers The following designers have worked with the B&B Italia design department to come up with furniture and object designs that simultaneously express the designer's vision and are fully incorporated into the aesthetic of B&B Italia. These designers work with B&B Italia because of the manufacturing mastery and attention to detail that has made B&B the leader in furniture and design production. The list basically reads like a "who's who" of modern design. They are: Antonio Citterio, Patricia Urquiola, Gaetano Pesce, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Marcel Wanders, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Jean-Marie Massaud, Jeffrey Bernett, Mario Bellini, Studio Kairos, Paolo Piva, Richard Schultz, Atelier Oi, David Chipperfield, C. Gerhards and A. Glucker, Chris Howker, Ettore Sottsass, Gabriele and Oscar Buratti, Jakob Wagner, Monica Armani, Nicole Aebischer, Roberto Barbieri, Uwe Fischer, Vincent Van Duysen and others.