Woven In History

Having enjoyed standing ovations for its renowned products for more than a century, Italy’s leading textile manufacturer Rubelli, recently revealed its debut furniture collection, Rubelli Casa, much to the delight of contemporary design aficionados.

- Catherine Blebin

From its headquarters on Venice’s Grand Canal, Rubelli creates sophisticated and innovative high-tech fabrics that adorn the interiors of the world’s contemporary state-of-the-art buildings, and recreates centuries-old fabrics to restore iconic interiors.

However, during the 2017 edition of the Salone Del Mobile in Milan – the most important furniture fair in the world – Rubelli Casa made its elegant debut, with the firm’s first furniture collection.

With designs from Luca Scacchetti and Nava+Nava Design Studio, the new collection has been described as being a reinvention of the mid-century style that is currently in fashion, the new collection includes the Clinton chair and Palazzo sofa with a distinct vintage look.

Still located at Venice’s Palazzo Corner Spinelli, Rubelli is directed by Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli, the fifth generation of the renowned textile family, who as CEO orchestrates a global empire along with his father Avvocato Alessandro Favaretto Rubelli, Chairman of the company and his brother Andrea Favaretto Rubelli, Chairman of Donghia, that includes fabrics, furnishings, wallpapers and accessories.

Year after year, Nicolò and the design team, technicians and historians delve into the company archives and draw inspiration for new collections from many of their historic projects.

The core of the company’s design department is a rare library of some 6000 textiles – of which almost half were produced by Rubelli. The archive also includes books, drawings and patterns that create an invaluable history of textile manufacturing and design.

“We are constantly reviewing the designs in the archives; they are a constant source of our inspiration and an indelible part of our success,” reveals Nicolò.