Innovation does not necessarily mean creating new objects but knowing how to adapt them to new needs and fashions. The thoughts of Simona Picchi from Il Paralume, who has joined the company her parents built in the '60s, “a period where there was generally more optimism in the markets and where work was planned according to very long time frames.” She is firmly anchored to the value of the Made in Italy, “our strength, a distinctive and fundamental element for our customers.” “In particular, our production (wall mirrors, lamps, chandeliers, wall lights...) is classic and traditional and so it doesn’t change much over time. We need to be able to propose small changes, such as colours, new textiles...” “As for social tools or on-line sales platforms, we make very little use of these”, she explains, underlining the importance of human contact, “Our collections are very particular and buyers continue to prefer to see them in person.” 

“The arrival of a second generation in a company is not always easy to manage”, admits Emanuele Bucco, currently at the helm of Lineasette, “it has served as a key opportunity to propagate an innovative spirit within the firm and launch processes for change, to be steered according to a future-looking logic, in which continuity and renewal, tradition and innovation are all combined. If the real aim of succession is to guarantee company continuity in the medium-long term, this result can only be achieved by integrating the generational handover with a more general company development strategy. Doing business today means rereading the past with an eye to the future and finding the right balance between tradition and change.” In terms of finding inspiration for the creative process, she explains, “people usually think it’s important to have out of the ordinary experiences in order to find truly original sparks of inspiration. In reality, we have seen that things work differently with the creative process and that the best sources of inspiration are daily life, the concrete needs of people.” The role of the Made in Italy is not only important for the Italian economy but also at international level. She continues: “safeguarding Made in Italy products nationally and globally means defending small and medium-sized business. Today, the Made in Italy identifies attention to detail, the quality of the raw materials and the production, the durability, the design, the quality of the item over time.
In the Lineasette Geographic collection, ceramics take centre stage in spaces with their new and contemporary shapes. Porcelain stoneware details gave life to the creativity and prestige of those great journeys across the Americas. In modern homes, minimal and simple, this artistic form becomes a “global” breath with its unique and exclusive design.

In terms of digital, the experiences of Italfama, a company of reference when it comes to the production of high-quality artistic chessboards and chess pieces, move in the other direction. A chess enthusiast, Aldo Marsili founded the firm in 1976 in the Florence province, and the arrival in the company of his sons, Tommaso and Marco, has brought modern, innovative ideas. They are responsible for the launch of new product lines, finishings and business strategies. 2002 saw the opening of the first official sales point in Borgo San Jacopo, Florence, close to the Ponte Vecchio, while the on-line market was launched in 2005. In 2017, the firm acquired Milanese company La Bottega dal Vasari, also a specialist in the production of artistic chessboards and chess pieces in bronze.

The artistic foundry of Santo Gobbi dates back to the '60s when the first candelabra were cast in bronze using earth from France. They would work bare-handed, extracting the cast piece by breaking the earth mould with their hands. The innovations date back to 1972 when son Angelo acquired the first machinery and transformed the firm into the current STILARS snc. Today, the production range comprises more than 2000 articles across the widest range of sectors. Brass is flanked by other materials such as ceramic, glass and wood, while finishings are enhanced with antiquing, silver plating, gilding, chrome plating and painting. The material used to create the articles is brass, combined in some cases with glass, wood and ceramic. “The jewel in our crown is the mechanical department. Numerically controlled machines allow us to create new models. All the moulds are in steel and all the processing is attended to personally by our specialist staff.”