Living la dolce vita at home

There are two things that Puglia, Italy, is known for: Extra-virgin olive oil, 50 percent of the Italian production coming from there, and Natuzzi furniture. Puglia is the “heel” part of boot-shaped Italy; Natuzzi is the furniture company that single-handedly reinvented the construction of the sofa and the way people live, thanks to its founder Pasquale Natuzzi. 

Around the world, his sofas are recognized and loved for their material and shape (Natuzzi specializes in leather and rounded shapes).

Pasquale says that every single day, around 4,000 consumers choose a Natuzzi piece — a dining table, cabinet, bookshelf, rug, lamp, bed, sofa — in 123 countries and 10,000 showrooms. Having been available in our country for the past three years, the brand takes center stage in the new showroom of Mos Design at Bonifacio High Street in the Fort. Even though Natuzzi pieces are pricey (upwards of P100,000 for an armchair, anyone?), it has found a loyal following in the Philippines among people who believe in top quality and the idea of living a certain way.

At 68, Pasquale hasn’t lost his passion for making furniture. Maybe it’s in the Italian DNA, he muses — this deep passion for creating artful, everyday objects such as bags, clothing and furniture. Maybe it’s in the fact that Italians are steeped in a deep tradition of art, culture and history, and everywhere you look there is inspiration. Whatever it is, Pasquale certainly embodies the Italian way of looking at life. 

Furniture making is in Pasquale’s blood. His father, a sculptor, made furniture with 30 artisans and Pasquale got his feet wet in his shop. “But he was a very strong man and I was even a stronger man. We didn’t get along. I said, I need to go my own way and that was what I did when I was 16. I worked for another furniture maker.”

And that, as they say, was the start of a life-long love affair with leather upholstery. He talks about leather as a typical Italian would about a woman: beautiful, sexy, luscious, something that deserves to be worshipped. Indeed, Natuzzi pieces — with their different grains, veining, and colors — are just begging to be touched.

While Natuzzi also uses fabrics as upholstery, it is leather that made it world-famous. “Our leather is a reflection of ourselves: more than just a material, it’s the story of the passion that led us to become a world leader in our industry.”

When he was 19, Pasquale opened his own furniture shop with nothing but his passion and creativity. He looked at the sofa industry — mostly dominated by American makers — and thought something was wrong with the basic frames. He told himself he could do better. And he did. But after a measure of success, disaster struck. His factory in Matera, Italy, burned down, wiping out all his business documents and worse, the blueprints of his collections. All he had left now was a showroom in the center of town and 65 employees who were in danger of losing their jobs.

He took his employees to the showroom and told them: “We will disassemble all the pieces that are here and then start from scratch.”

That’s what he did. “I never give up,” Pasquale says.

Today, Natuzzi is “the most knocked-off company in the world,” in no small measure because Italian design translates excellently around the world, whether in China or America or Brazil. The only difference between the collections is the scale. In America the pieces are bigger, while in Japan they are designed to fit into smaller houses. And the ones in the Manila showroom? “Purely Italian,” he says. 

From the time Natuzzi selects the raw leather — sourced from countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Italy — it undergoes a 23-stage process. Natural, durable, cool in summer and warm in winter, Natuzzi leathers are available in Natural (extremely soft to the touch and processed to preserve the original characteristics of the hide) and Protecta (strong, durable, and covered with a light protective layer that guards against stains and wear).

 “Giorgio Armani came into our store about three months ago and purchased six Natuzzi armchairs,” he says. Donna Karan is a loyal client, so are European and Asian stars. 

“Brad Pitt?” we ask.

“Who?” Pasquale says, genuinely baffled.

The company develops 20 collections a year and, with their price tags, are thankfully low-maintenance — safe for homes with children and pets.

Their most expensive piece? A modular design that costs about $100,000. “It’s modular, so you can add three kilometers to it!” he jokes. 

In the Philippines, as in the rest of the Natuzzi world, you can personalize your furniture — choose your own upholstery and color — and in four months you get it delivered to your home.

“We design total living, not just sofas,” says Pasquale.

“It’s how you live,” goes the company slogan.

Actually, it’s how most of us want to live.

* * *

The Natuzzi showroom in Mos Design is located at Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City. Call 856-2745.