Hybla Soft by De Padova, design Elisa OssinoDe Padova has always embodied Milanese elegance in interior design. This concept has little to do with mere aesthetics: it is a matter of style, an attitude that manifests itself in a sense of proportion, in balance, in a sophisticated yet understated refinement, in attention to detail and in consistency. It is this allure that has characterised the brand for exactly 70 years. This identity naturally traces its origins back to Maddalena and Fernando De Padova, who imbued the brand’s first furniture collections with that characteristic ‘Milanese spirit’: a spirit free from passing fashions, capable not only of inspiring a lifestyle in its own right, but also of bridging even distant aesthetic cultures – from Scandinavian to American, right through to Japanese – with the very best of Italian design. And it is this very sensibility that continues to define De Padova today, with undiminished expressive power, within the broader ‘A Way of Living’ project by Boffi | DePadova, which elevates the brand’s DNA – namely, Milanese elegance – to a cultural benchmark for contemporary living.
Hybla Soft by De Padova, design Elisa Ossino
Ensuring continuity with the original vision is the creative touch of another woman, Elisa Ossino, one of the many international designers who have contributed to the new collections. As a designer and architect, Elisa Ossino has created original designs for De Padova with the lightness that characterises her design approach: clean-lined geometries that leave a striking mark on the space, a monochromatic palette that evokes a sense of suspension and interacts with light, and metaphysical influences that create interplays of volumes and voids. This communicative power, which emerges from both material and form, is also evident in her new projects, resulting in a whole that is at once sensory and a testament to pure sophistication.
Hybla Soft by De Padova, design Elisa Ossino
This approach is embodied by the Hybla Soft system, developed as an evolution of Hybla with a view to greater flexibility and comfort. The design identity remains the same – a 1970s charm with an extremely welcoming feel. The design language has, however, been simplified by removing the structural panels and the rigid backrest, thus allowing for more open and versatile configurations. Generous, full-bodied forms, complemented solely by attached side armrests, give rise to versatile modular arrangements: the varying angle of the seat cushion allows for extensions and trapezoidal shapes that bring dynamism to the configurations, whilst the addition of oak pouffes and storage units further expands the compositional possibilities. But the most significant development concerns comfort, thanks to padding designed to preserve the seat’s volume over time, without losing its shape or comfort.
Elisa Ossino’s exploration of materials and form is evident not only in her large-scale furniture but even in a versatile and functional accessory, which, thanks to her touch, takes on a profound and refined character: this is the case with Nesida, a collection comprising three coffee tables “designed with the aim of highlighting the contrast between the square base and the circular top”, explains the designer. “The curved edge creates a subtle illusion of suspension, in a interplay of negative space and balance.” The resulting effect is striking, all the more so when one considers that the base is carved from a solid block of stone – specifically, polished ivory-white Pietra di Vicenza, a luminous stone with a warm and delicate hue.
Geometry, suspension, lightness and balance are all recurring concepts, in keeping with a highly coherent philosophy, in the Lantìa lighting collection, conceived as “the interlocking of three cylinders which, when superimposed, create a new form with an instantly iconic presence”. The designer drew inspiration “from the memory of groups of columns forming similar configurations, translating that architectural balance into a lamp capable of taking on different compositions”. The result is a modular, vertically expanding lighting system in which the overlapping modules – ranging from one to four – allow for the creation of a calibrated column of light, up to a height of 160 cm. Inside, light tubes ensure a continuous and uniform glow; the light diffuses through the etched milky-white blown glass, whilst the ribbing amplifies its depth and creates controlled visual vibrations. Available as a pendant, floor-standing and table lamp, Lantìa transforms light into structure, rhythm and presence within the space.
