«The abundance of things concealed the scarcity of ideas and the erosion of every belief», Marco Serralunga nearly tears up as he quotes Nobel laureate Annie Ernaux. «This is both what I believe in and what I fight against. At Serralunga, we’ve always concentrated our efforts and ideas on making the world of furnishings and outdoor spaces elegant and accessible.» Founded as a tannery in Biella in 1825, Serralunga celebrates 200 years of crafting outdoor furniture known for blending design, technique, and aesthetics over six generations. «We were born even before Italy was unified. We’re Piedmontese; our region is home to esteemed brands like Zegna, Loro Piana, Cerruti 1881, all companies that, like us, have embraced what I call a dynamic tradition», Serralunga continues..
In particular, it’s through rotational molding that Serralunga changed its course. «Marco, you’re the man who made the world spin», joked Elio Fiorucci. This technology, developed in the U.S. during the mid-20th century, was used to create tanks, fuel containers, and chemical-resistant vessels – seamless, lightweight, and transportable. «My father discovered it while traveling in the United States in the late ‘70s, attending several plastic technology fairs», says Serralunga.
«We were the first to envision applying this primarily industrial tech in a completely different field». It was perfect for the outdoor world, provided one had the vision to see it. «We’ve always had the foresight to change the intended use of technology or products», he adds. Over the years, this has led to iconic products like Vas One, extreme and out-of-scale items, decisions to incorporate lighting into planters, or create lacquered planters («We borrowed that technology from Iveco trucks back in the day»).
Over time, others have applied the same technology to outdoor furniture. Sometimes, Serralunga notes, with results suspiciously similar to theirs: «They say being copied is a sign of success, as Paolo Rizzatto often reminded me. Compared to many who ventured into rotational molding only to give it up or achieve poor results, we’ve made consistency our strength, our key to success and market recognition». Consider the sofas with fabric cushions and rotational bases or the pots that can be screwed into the ground with a steel spike («Denis Santachiara’s Santavase, one of my favorites, has a wonderful poetic quality!»). Among their collaborations are the elegance and sophistication of Paolo Rizzatto, known for the Romeo and Giulietta benches, Marc Sadler’s technical mastery with his light-equipped lamps and vases, and Aqua loungers. Also, Zaha Hadid, whose iconic soft shapes embraced tables and sofas despite numerous challenges.
Serralunga’s business strategy consistency, it must be said, also extends to a constant aesthetic. Not a small feat for a brand that, over two centuries, has intersected the creative paths, visionary minds, and strong personalities of design heavyweights like Vico Magistretti, Ettore Sottsass, Philippe Starck, Patricia Urquiola, Jean-Marie Massaud, and Karim Rashid. «We are from Biella, and we have an elegance of a certain kind, not without irony. But we must be cautious because, as Nino Cerruti loved to say, the line between irony and vulgarity is very thin».
Using rotational molding for plastic products, Serralunga continues, allows the brand to offer lightweight, durable, recyclable, and aesthetically intriguing products today. Without ever shying away from a challenge: «That’s how Moleskin was born, a handcrafted process that we invented and patented, which involves scraping the plastic’s surface to give it the appearance of fabric», he explains, aiming to avoid non-eco-friendly paints or treatments.
Resistant and quick-drying, it has various applications, from lounge chairs to tables, from planters to armchairs. Most importantly, it pays homage to a sense often underutilized in the outdoor space: touch. «Today, the outdoor space is true luxury. And this holds in every city, in every country. We think not only about furnishing the large penthouse in the city center, but also about young couples seeking a two-seater sofa for their balcony. We never create just for the sake of it. We produce content, an application, an intelligence».
