Pure aesthetics of luxury outdoor brand belie complex technology

Italian designer/architect Monica Armani has collaborated with some of the world’s leading interior labels including B&B Italia, Moroso, Luceplan and Poliform. Her latest collection for Belgian design house Tribù is now available in New Zealand at Dawson & Co.

Monica is known for her attention to detail and sense of geometric perfection.

For 10 years, she worked for her father, a renowned rationalist architect and she was profoundly influenced by him. She now works with her husband Luca Dallabetta who helps her resolve technical aspects.

When creating a product, she says, she doesn’t just create an awareness of the external aesthetic. “We go deep inside the product to produce something very special and unique. Maybe it’s a small invention or new materials, to cross over from the technical aspect. Our furniture always has a refined line where you don’t see the technology.”

Monica was fascinated by the challenge of designing outdoor furniture that creates a strong connection between the terrace and interiors. For Tribù, she adds a feminine touch combined with technical brilliance, resulting in highly original furniture that bridges the divide between indoors and out with particular ease.

The Tosca outdoor collection was the first time Tribù called on a female designer to produce an outdoor furniture piece with a more feminine touch. She and Luca decided to develop a chair with sumptuous weaving and suitable for all climates.

“At the time, big rope fibre didn’t exist. The process of creating weaving around a product like plastic tube to create a huge six-metre long sock was complicated.”

But they succeeded. The chair has rounded forms, tapered legs and an elegant seating shell in powder-coated stainless steel, upholstered with extra-thick braiding, an innovative foam mousse encased in a seamless sheath of knitted, weather-resistant material. The seating is especially soft and comfortable.

For the Tao table collection, the idea was to create volume with a bold sculptural central pedestal in perfect balance with a very thin tabletop. “This was achieved with another new technology using fibreglass inside the concrete mix to make it stronger yet lighter than normal concrete. A hand-finished texture on the tabletop was created by infusing the concrete with small stones that were then machined to create a textural surface that’s not perfect. This dimension and the volume of the pedestal give a very interesting look. It’s an elegant solidarity, that’s both strong and light.” The collection has already won two international awards.

The classic director’s chair has a leading role in Monica’s design for the Regista collection. “It’s a chair you can fold that has a hand-woven, weather resistant, yet soft-to-the-touch Tricord yarn backrest, which has also been used to cover the arms. The powder-coated stainless steel and aluminium are treated with a special product. You can see through the weaving, which makes is a light, perfectly balanced, iconic piece. Very feminine and comfortable.”

Monica wanted to create a cocoon-like, Balinese mood with a luxuriously private environment for the Pavilion day bed. She came up with a classic, clean-lined canopy with a slimline frame where the back rest can move up and down. The Pavilion has many different possibilities with a choice of aluminium or teak slats for the back and roof. In the roof, the Sunvision canvas is a transparent textile that filters out UV rays without blocking the sunlight. The durable Bayline seat lining can be softened with comfortable UV and water-repellent outdoor cushions. It can be further customised with a convenient side table and transparent curtains.

With the Nomad easy chair, the idea was to have a fun, easy chair with a soft cushion that is like a cocoon. “It calls to you, saying, try me,” she jokes. The deep cushion is stitched to the body, folding over the armrests and moulding into the broad curve of the back rest. Teak is used for its warmth, smoothness and strength. Slender legs and contoured armrests give an elegant profile and the combination of the smartly stitched cushion makes it as luxurious as it is comfortable. Nomad can be placed in a lounge set up or as a standalone piece.

Monica says the outdoor market has grown up incredibly in the past year.

“There’s a huge trend towards furniture that fits inside and outside. We are at a point in time where people have to stay home more so we have had to change and for sure, the outdoors has become a very important part of our homes.

“Tribù use a perfected outdoor fabric technology that looks just like linen. It’s the simple shapes and the detailing that are the real innovation.”

Available exclusively at Dawson & Co, Tribù outdoor furniture collection blend considered architectural technology with fresh contemporary elegance to achieve a finesse that will ensure years of enjoyment.