A Glass Act | Design Talk with Silvia Gallotti

Continuing to champion the beauty of glass under the tradition-meets-innovation umbrella is Italian luxury furniture powerhouse Gallotti&Radice, forging ahead under the helm of CEO Silvia Gallotti who trusts that the simple yet sophisticated path will never steer her wrong.

Words by Monisha Sivanesan | Images courtesy of Gallotti&Radice

Invariably fragile yet inherently strong, glass is a temperamental element that can only be tamed by the sincere few who yearn to unlock all of her unexpected capabilities with gentle hands but intense discipline, instead of confining her to the archaic rules of yesteryear. Belonging to this coveted class of only the finest glass artisans is Gallotti&Radice, the very first company in Italy to champion the dominant use of this material for a plethora of furniture arrangements; it makes for an advantageous position, sure, but it also signifies a sense of responsibility in spearheading the culture of design.

Born in 1956, Gallotti&Radice sprung to life as a result of two glass engravers — Pierangelo Gallotti and Luigi Radice — who each bore an equal will to create, transform and interpret through a shared passion for glass. To be more accurate, the duo realised that they both felt a strong desire to officially expand their existing collection of handmade, small-scale and one-off pieces which included lighting appliances, furnishings and mirrors to the next level, one that allowed them to transmit their values, passion, commitment and dedication to a much larger audience. Continuing to grow the brand’s legacy, established with a helping hand from a roster of famous architects and designers as well as talented local artisans and suppliers primarily stationed in the large district of Brianza, Italy in which it operates, is the next generation of its two founding families.

Under the guide of CEO Silvia Gallotti, tremendous strides were made. An enlargement in the typology of products and materials employed has allowed the company to evolve from developing loose pieces to designing a complete lifestyle collection for an elegant abode, celebrating the wonder of nature and the timeless allure of a feminine touch. “I brought in my style, my creativity and my taste to better our mission of bringing everlasting beauty into people’s homes,” she exclaims, her simple yet sophisticated sense of fashion transparently reflected in each new piece released. One of her all-time favourite pieces is even displayed in the Kuala Lumpur Flagship Store, involving her personal touch and encapsulating the many values of the luxury Italian brand; it’s the drastically curved desk by Studio G&R that goes by the name of ‘President,’ a continual best-seller that now comes with extralight tempered glass adorned with the exclusive criss-cross gold finish in honour of its 50th birthday.

“When we use natural elements, we can have something really unique, something that cannot be replicated … giving absolute authenticity to our collection.”

Silvia Gallotti
CEO of Gallotti&Radice

The research for perfection is a constant imperfect circle, so the company believes, yet it forges ahead with an open mind, full heart and clear eyes in the hopes of a better tomorrow. In the act of constantly researching and applying new ideas to enhance the label’s signature catalogue of design which still favours glass above all else, the topic of sustainability — more relevant now than ever — remains at the forefront of discussions. Glass, aluminium and steel represent the main, and 100% recyclable, ingredients chosen for production. At the same time, the collection, separation, recovery and disposal processes for each of them along with brass, paper, cardboard and all other workmanship rejects are handled with extreme care and attention. With glass, for example, usable by-products that stem from manufacturing will be used to create floats, containers, fibreglass or aggregates.

On top of that, the company is no stranger to relying on recycled materials to give birth to appealing contemporary pieces with eco-friendly intentions like the multi-coloured Re-verre coffee tables by Federica Biasi, formed from recycled glass in a warm and earthy “melange terre” finish. Another similar case is Studiopepe’s Pleiadi decorative wall covering made of linters, a by-product of the cotton industry. More than just a sight for sore eyes, it is also functional as its cellulose composition guarantees high sound absorption performance against extremely low thicknesses. In talking about the simplicity of these characters belonging to the new Gentle Attitude collection which premiered at the 2023 edition of Salone del Mobile Milano, Silvia adds that “The expressiveness of the material wins over everything … and that’s also a principle of elegance, you don’t have to do much to get it right when you’re working with all the right elements … just keep it simple.”

Unlike previous years, this one witnessed a surprising rise in the number of products launched, hence another mentionable highlight from the collection, according to her, is the trio of Selce coffee tables, conceived once again by the brilliant minds over at Studiopepe. Emphasising the brand’s affinity for natural materials in a most prominent way, sculptural stone blocks overlap to create unusual geometries with a powerful impact, enhanced with inherently striking materials like Ceppo dei Volpi, Ceppo Antico or Travertino Romano. “When we use natural elements, we can have something really unique, something that cannot be replicated … giving absolute authenticity to our collection,” she remarks. With the unsurprising success of these tables since its release, the brand is currently working on the dining table version of it with the goal of presenting it at the next edition of the fair.

The very same principles instilled into each and every product can all be found in the second generation leader’s metropolitan sanctuary located in Casa Mia, an enchanting 1920s mansion in Via Macheroni where creativity and connections bloom in full. Brought to reality with the aid of long-time collaborator Dainelli Studio, it is a remarkably versatile space made ideal for slow-living as well as dynamic networking events and brainstorming sessions. “It’s a new project that I wanted to develop to showcase what Gallotti&Radice can do with interiors,” she says, which explains why handcrafted, custom-made creations from her family’s business play a tremendous role in stringing the apartment’s design narrative.

Staying true to the brand’s reverence for tradition, the duo decided to keep as much as they could, stating that “We wanted to respect the strength of the home’s Milanese architecture, so we retained original elements like the parquet and terrazzo floors, decorated ceiling mouldings, framed interior doors and windows … We tried to respect the soul of the space, to contribute to its beauty with our own pieces.” On that note, she adds that inspiration to develop items for the upcoming collection was also found here, like the black ash entrance sideboard initially made by Dainelli just for Silvia, but will soon be available to the masses.

However, as for her favourite piece here, it’s the limited edition mirror by Simon Berger, the Swiss contemporary visual artist best known for pioneering the art of hammered glass portraits — a glass expert beloved by another, how fitting. “I like it because there’s a big contrast, no? The aggressiveness of the gesture, it’s very strong, kind of violent, but in the end, you see the beauty of the woman coming out of it. There’s also a very impactful message behind it — beauty and strength will always win in the end,” exclaims the avid art collector.

Coming back to Malaysia, Silvia reiterates just how proud and happy she is, on behalf of the entire Gallotti&Radice family, to partner with Stanzo Italia. Having visited the Kuala Lumpur showroom for the first time after only viewing it via images all this while, she’s thrilled to see that “they’re able to transfer the atmosphere, personality, tradition and legacy of our lines into this space.” Beaming with joy and satisfaction, she finalises her thoughts with one last, but by no means least, appreciative note: “We think that this partnership is the perfect one, and I hope they’re just as happy too … cause we certainly are.”

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