"Life is beautiful in all its manifestations. Even at work. And for some people, especially at work." Ennio Arosio about his work and the philosophy of the company MOBILEFFE

Passing the gallery

Interview prepared: Natalya Sedyakina

Magazine: N11 (56) 2001

At first glance, it is clear that he is a hedonist. Ennio Arosio is a very cute, very smiling and laughing person. He loves women, good wine and cuisine, his wife, the furniture he makes, and much more ... With regard to him, the phrase from John Fowles novel Magus is fair to no one else: "Do you like being loved? To me just like beingSALON: I would like to build our interview today in a slightly unusual way ... So that we move from model to model and you would tell me how you came up with them. - Yes of course. But, I think, at first it would be fair to talk about the company's philosophy, because if we understand it well, it will be easier for us to talk. It’s also easier for me to work.S: How long have you been working for MOBILEFFE? - Are you asking me this question? Want to hint that I'm already aged? Well, let's say this: for many years ...S: I just wanted to know how many years it took for you to fully understand the company's philosophy? - Let's start with the fact that a lot - now dozens - years ago, MOBILEFFE was a company that produced high-quality products from valuable wood species (I’ll note: it’s valuable, not rare). A lot of attention was paid to the details - and this was always a very important point. As you have probably noticed, the second distinguishing feature of our products is its large size. Since the price category it is designed for high-class, in this case we are talking about large houses. Therefore, we freely design large models for large spaces. Now the top of this design is, perhaps, the King's wardrobe, which is not just big, but rather even huge. This cabinet, by the way, is exhibited in the Arte di Vivere salon in Moscow.S: Where is your woodworking factory? - It depends on what kind of material we are talking about. This one, for example, is brought from Africa. In general, our woodworking factory is located near Milan. We use the local tree. It all depends on the tasks. In some cases, color is more important to us than texture, but somewhere the main focus is on texture. We produce things from natural materials and try to emphasize their "naturalness", therefore we only lightly coat them with varnish.S: Why do you love dark tree so much? - We are in the sector of the market that works for interiors of middle and high class. It happened historically. And these clients prefer brutal dark tones and consistency. Russians, by the way, are even more conservative in terms of elegance than many Europeans. The products we produce are products designed to create an image that differs from those ideas about furniture that existed before. Every single element is part of a project. And on the basis of one project, you can make a variety of variations.S: I see that you know the process very well. How is your work being built - at the level of the “conditioned reflex” of a great professional, or is it based on inspiration? I wonder how you come up with it? - When I design specifically for the factory, then we are talking more about the technological process. But in general, emotional impulses push me to create new products.S: Which ones? How do you see your new models - maybe in a dream? - No, no and NO. In a dream I see only women. As a rule, naked and very beautiful. But to be serious, when you work at the same factory for many years, then you begin to feel the evolution of products, if you can say so. And every time a company finishes sales of a product, I’m already thinking about the next series. It’s probably more work than inspiration. That is, at home I do not think about the closet when I put things there. I just put things in there. But about what closet I want to do, I think at work.S: Why did you become a designer? Because of the love of art, or because of the love of comfort? - The story is completely separate. When I started working, the first job I did was the reconstruction of the showroom. And until today, a large part of my work is the reconstruction of showrooms or boutiques. And over time, when designing these spaces, I began to realize that something was missing. Question: what? Of course, own models of furniture. At the heart of all design is a sense of harmony. Let the subjective - but still a feeling.S: How do you relax from work? - During work. Well, in general, I love to ski in Valtelino, in Italy, in the valley of Chamonix in France.S: How do you work if, for example, you are not in the mood? - I have a bad mood exactly when there is no work.S: This probably does not happen. You are working not only on MOBILEFFE? - Yes, this is true, but MOBILEFFE is my favorite factory and, one might say, the main one. I also work for MISSURA-EMME, CASPARUCCI, SALOTTI, GAABBA, GLASBETRY.S: And everywhere you equally enjoy? - What else! Life is beautiful in all its manifestations. Even at work. And for some people - especially in the work.