Combining functionality with aesthetics that support the body and lift the spirits: that is the aim of Molteni&C armchairs. It's no easy task, but the pieces in this section, by some of the greatest designers of all time, are living proof that it is a challenge that can be won. Gio Ponti is a master of the art, and Molteni&C has recreated five of his designer armchairs, the most iconic of which is probably D.154.2, designed for the Mexican villa of the Plancharts, collectors of contemporary art. It is now proposed in a combination of soft, rigid polyurethane, to which is added customisable upholstery in terms of colours and fabrics (linen, chenille, leather, velvet and more). The almost contemporary D.153.1, with its satin-finish brass structure, and its immediate successor D.156.3 in solid maple or walnut, still possess that character that makes you realise just how revolutionary they were in their day. Ponti's other creations are D.151.4, originally designed for large ships, and D.270.2, suitable both for reading and conversation thanks to its extreme versatility. Alongside these iconic pieces are contemporary designer armchairs such as the one by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, who with Glove (fluid, minimalist, unconventional) and Glove-Up (spirited, soft, sinuous) is able to create something capable of influencing the personalities of a living room. Fantasia, by Nicola Gallizia, appears to have the same properties, while Ferruccio Laviani from Cremona designs seating systems: Large is a system of sofas with removable covers that uses a heat-sensitive foam that moulds itself for correct weight distribution. Completing the series are Doda, a contemporary wing chair that surprises and envelops, and Mandrague. While Rodolfo Dordoni has made a name for himself with Chelsea, a collection of well-structured, versatile designer armchairs ideal for both living rooms and dining areas, Hannes Wettstein continues to amaze generation after generation with Lido and Reversi. Skin (Jean Nouvel) and Allure (Matteo Nunziati) meanwhile, remind us that aesthetic purity has no interest in boundaries, but only in the minds that can grasp it and the hands that can make it a reality. Finally Clipper and Holborn are very different yet at the same time very similar in the simplicity and comfort that they offer.
