LR
Some months ago, walking an antique show, I stopped in front of a vase; it was the work of Gio Ponti, the master of 20th-century design. My greatgrandfather had appreciated his talent; he commissioned several designs from him, including two velvets, woven by hand and exhibited at the Biennale of Venice in 1934. These patterns, now produced with modern techniques, form a collection of four which is Rubelli’s homage to Gio Ponti on the 120th anniversary of his birth. I purchased that work of art because of its beauty and because it comes in the shape of a globe – a perfect complement to my collection of maps of Venice. On it I can imagine the antique merchants travelling down the silk road: moving from the gold of Venice to the ruby reds of Istanbul, the turquoise of Samarkand, the whites of Darjeeling, the ink blue of Beijing, the jewel colours of florals from Kyoto. These are the stops along an imaginary journey linking the opposites: East and West, past and future, tradition and innovation, art and industry, silk and high-performance fibres. Along the route linking these legendary cities, our new creations are unravelled and blended in a harmonious joining of contrasts.
doing for centuries and still keep on doing with the very same enthusiasm. Our origin is our identity: this is the reason for grounding the magazine with the initials of Lorenzo Rubelli, our ancestor who acquired a Venetian company deeply rooted in the noble art of silk. This story is told in a monographic book of imminent publication, which analyses the intricate connection between the family, our Venice, and textiles. Rubelli - A Story of Silk in Venice discloses the substance of Rubelli. In addition to the Rubelli collection, LR reveals the universe of the whole Rubelli Group: it tells the tale of how we wove threads of gold for the curtain of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia (the picture on page 118 is a reminder of the exciting party that we hosted on 11.11.11 in Moscow); it also recalls the other brands of the Group: Dominique Kieffer, Armani/ Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli, and Donghia. It shows our new fabrics in wondrous surroundings. It entertains and educates the reader with various stories connected to the Rubelli world, illustrating how tradition and innovation can combine. Carlomagno is the outstanding example of an antique armour inspiring a timeless fabric, coated with layers of patina thanks to innovative processes developed by our designers and technicians. This magazine is the result of cooperation bet-
This is what the Rubelli 2012 collection is about, coherent with the Rubelli tradition as well as
ween Rubelli and Edelkoort Etc. I wish to thank Loredana Di Pascale, as well as Lidewij Edelkoort, Sophie Lattes and their team for a remarkable accomplishment. The discreet presence of the human figure in the presentation of our fabrics is a reminder that textiles are not only works of art: they are created to be lived in and with. Hence, indulge in improving your own life by surrounding yourself with Rubelli fabrics: it can’t get any better. Discover the worlds of the Rubelli Group in the upcoming pages, and find out how our history and tradition do not tie us down - rather, they are wings with which to fly towards the future.
projecting into the future. A collection conceived like a symphony in two acts: past and future, and with five movements: Antique, Metallic, Artistic, Romantic, Exotic. Past and future are two entwined elements in the history of Rubelli. And a significant part of our future vision are the new products that we continuously design. Today’s challenges are everincreasing, thus our design studio has been reinforced. The valuable work of Alberto Pezzato, Anna Candelù and Francesco Zampieri now benefits from the artistic direction of Sophie Lattes, who orchestrates the creative team with great skill. This new magazine, LR, is a love song to fabrics, a symbol of our passion for what we have been
22.12.2011, Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli