Marta Sala | Marta Sala Éditions (MSÉ)

Marta Sala Éditions is a line of furniture, objects and lighting created in collaboration with leading architects and designers including Rome-based architectural studio Lazzarini & Pickering as chief designers for two concurrent collections. In many respects, Sala’s eponymous project is the product of a lifetime immersed in Italy’s rich legacy of design and architecture. In 1947, her mother Maria Teresa Tosi co-founded iconic furniture company Azucena with her uncle, the architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni and Ignazio Gardella, two of the country’s most prominent modern architects. In recent years, the company - known for its sleekly elegant - and increasingly collectible - furnishings was helmed by Sala and her sister Anna. Like her uncle, Sala believes that architecture is the foundation of all design, and furniture is much like a dialogue. Claudio Lazzarini and Carl Pickering, who share this same vision, were the perfect choice for the first five collections, which include seating, tables, lighting and several home objects. In the spirit of iconic Italian design, the range marries modernist lines with sumptuous details, a strong sense of color and unexpected materials. It’s a hybrid that Sala calls: The secret soul of useful things.

Given her background Sala functions as the curator and connector, realizing the brief of the architects and finding the right craftspeople to create the world-class pieces. “We are very spoilt around Milan,” Sala says. “We have this unique combination between handcraft and technical support that gives an incredibly high standard of quality but is still full of soul due to the human application on each piece. I personally deal with production because I know exactly what I want and how to optimize the knowledge of the architects and craftsmen.”

Many of the collection’s pieces are tailor-made to contemporary life, some combining multiple functions in a single piece. In this spirit, a lamp does triple duty as a screen and table. Seating is modular and adaptable, suitable to a range of commercial and residential environments. “Before design used to instruct people how to sit, stand and eat. Now we have to offer a product that is useful and modular and able to answer different needs and spaces,” says Sala. The pieces echo the ethos of Sala’s uncle Caccia Dominioni, who saw design, architectural and urban planning as an integrated whole. According to Sala, this approach “gives each piece a unique solution and strength.”

Since its inception, Marta Sala’s Édition’s has resonated with architects, interior designers and editors. The range has been highlighted in world class publications including Wallpaper* Magazine, The New York Times, Interview, AD France, Town and Country and Elle Decoration.

Today, we sit down with Marta Sala and learn about her background, inspiration, and she gives us her guide to Milano in time for Salone del Mobile in the Fall.

Where were you born and where do you live now? I was born in Milan and share my time between Milan and Paris.

You are the niece of architect and furniture designer, Luigi Caccia Dominioni, so design is in your blood. What was your first memory of design? My first memories are linked to my mother Teresa Tosi and the Azucena warehouse where I used to play hide and seek with her. I was lucky to be able to accompany her to the craftsmens’ workshop to follow the conception of a piece of furniture. My uncle and godfather Caccia Dominioni was very happy to offer me a huge box of very special makers… I was very proud of that! What he really taught me is that even one millimeter makes a difference, and in fact in the Marta Sala Editions world— we really are talking about millimeter of difference.

When did you know you wanted to be a designer? I didn’t really decide to be part of the design world, I was born and brought up since childhood by a strong family aesthetic. When my aunt (who was working with her in Azucena) passed away, I decided to help my mother and to learn as much as I could about production and furniture. The preoccupation of form and function, quality and beauty, have been part of my world for as long as I can remember.

What inspired you to begin Marta Sala Éditions (MSÉ)? I grew up with a rich cultural heritage so I decided to reinterpret my family tradition in design for the new generation— with my own flair. Today, design travels across the world, with its multitude of traditions and behaviors so we have to create nomadic high-quality objects and pieces of furniture with a freedom of use. Quality design is a niche that travels 360 degrees and it is so exciting to reach many countries around the world through which we create a cultural bond. At the same time, we still produce haute couture thanks to the exclusively Italian craftsmen I select. I discuss every detail with them, including the feasibility of a piece, the best materials to use, and the cost… all in order to obtain the evidence and the lightness of perfection.

Who were your mentors? I admire the Bauhaus philosophy.

Who or what inspires you? To highlight my personal commitment, I added “Editions” to my name. I do not work with single pieces, but I build collections, deciding the precise theme of inspiration. I have 5 collections and more than 60 pieces. The collections themes depend on the market, the frequency of demand or lack thereof, my own requirements, and Claudio and Carl’s inspirations. For me, what is truly important is to create a new, recognizable world that is filled with identity, ethics and high-quality craftsmanship with a touch of humor.

How did the collaboration with Roman architects Claudio Lazzarini and Carl Pickering come to be? Carl and Claudio are the first MSE “fathers.” I admire their approach to design, and their way of optimizing space. I selected almost all of the pieces of the first collection “The Secret Soul of Useful Things” from their archives in order to bring them to life. These included the Harry Table, Elisabeth Sofa, the Modular Wanda Armchair, and more. Their furniture is architectural and I feel comfortable with them, much the way I was with Azucena pieces. With Carl and Claudio, it is as if I found a pencil to represent what I am dreaming of. They shape our collective brainstorming and Marta Sala Editions bring the furniture into a solid form. Thanks to this collaboration, collections were invented, evolved, and were completed.

You designed pieces for the Hermes boutique in Milano. How did that project come about? The first person I met from Hermès was Rena Dumas who used to come to Azucena each time she was in Milan for Salone to visit my mother. Then when I began MSE, they fell in love with the quality and the design of the pieces, and Lazzarini&Pickering were invited to create the temporary store based in Rome. The Milanese pop up store was from Park Associati with MSE pieces, and now the main headquarter has a selection of pieces. The concept is to have very Italian pieces in their new Milanese flagship.

What is your daily uniform? Favorite fashion designers? Perfume? My Milan daily uniform is very comfortable and cool in order to allow me to go to the office by bicycle or to go to Brianza for quality control when needed. The showroom is also more relaxed whereas in Paris, one needs to be a bit more glamorous. The apartment at Rue Jacob is where I receive clients, professionals, and journalists. As far as fashion designers, I love a french brand called Nathalie Chaize— elegant and sexy at the same time. My favorite Italian designer is Missoni, and my perfumes are all from Guerlain.

Any daily rituals? I love to go swimming and to Mass in the beautiful San Babila church close to the Corso Monforte showroom. It is a gift!

Favorite artists, architects, designers? Bacon and Savinio, Gaudì,Tadao Ando, and Herzog et de Meuron (Caccia Dominioni by the way!) Zanuso, Ron Arad, and Jaime Hayon. There are so many talented designers, including Konstantin Grcic (who we collaborated with in Azucena).

What are you watching and reading at the moment? I do love reading. I have a Kindle, and I really enjoy it. At the moment, I am totally in love with Hercules Poirot!

What is next for you? I I have been participating in Salone del Mobile since 2015. For the 2021 Salone and Maison & Objets, we are hosting an amazing event with Fromental design in both Milan and Paris.

MILAN CITY GUIDE

Your studio is located near one of my favorite places in Milano-- the Villa Necchi Campiglio. What are some of your favorite local spots? Villa Necchi Campigli and the MSE world have something in common for sure. I love the PAC, designed by Ignazio Gardella, who is another architect produced by Azucena, and the new ADI Museum.

What are some of your favorite cafes, bakeries, bars, and restaurants in Milan? Cafe Zaini Milano, Egalité, Bar Cinc, and Restaurant B.

Whatt are your favorite galleries, museums, buildings, cultural institutions in Milan? In Milan you can find many cultural events, exhibitions, and new museums … It is amazing how rich the town is in cultural offerings. I love the Mudec Museum, the Gallerie d’Italia, the Poldi Pezzoli, and the Prada Foundation.

What are your favorite shops or shopping destinations in Milan? Missoni and Stella McCartney.

What is your favorite hotels in Milan? Grand Hotel et de Milan.

What is your favorite Day or Weekend trip from Milan? Portofino!

Best place for aperitivo? The garden of the Bvlgari Hotel.

Best place for classic veal milanese and saffron risotto? La Torre di Pisa.

Where do you dream of traveling? Asia.

What is next for MSE? I would love to add new collections to the main ones. Let’s see, I have to find another inspiration and it is not that easy!

Text: Veronica H. Speck