It’s difficult to know where to begin when describing Paola Navone. Her portfolio of work is mind-bending in its diversity, spanning architecture, interior design, exhibitions, furniture and product design. She is a person who belongs to that great Italian ideal of ‘Designer,’ which encompasses all creative fields and refuses to recognise any boundary.
Paola grew up in Turin, Italy, where she also studied architecture, graduating in ’73. Her early professional years were spent in Milan, working alongside the illustrious architect and designer, Alessandro Mendini who also introduced her to the avant-garde design group Alchimia. Here she was exposed to a host of new wave designers with a multitude of styles and techniques.
This melting pot of design disciplines and pure innovation clearly had a profound influence on Navone. In 1988, she created the Cappellini Mondo brand together with another iconic designer, Giulio Cappellini, producing the most beautiful, contemporary furniture designs.
Paola Navone is considered a pioneer of ‘Shabby-Chic’ thanks largely to the Otto furniture range she designed for Gervasoni in 1997. Whilst a little ahead of its time in the beginning, the range soon became fantastically popular, generating a third of Gervasoni’s turnover.
These early career experiences served to knock down walls and set Paola firmly on a path of design diversity, exploring her inexhaustible creative curiosity. One of her guiding principles as a designer to this day, is that she does not define herself within any particular style or niche. She is as interested in combining traditional handicrafts with contemporary design as she is in modern industry and technical processes.
She may be described as eclectic, with such a diversity of influences and interests in different forms and structures, but is that not the ultimate state of mind for a successful designer?
For a taste of the diversity and brilliance of Paola Navone’s design, you need look no further than her collaborations with Bisazza, which have yielded some of the most chic and beautiful interior design mosaics in the current Collezione. Compare just two of her contributions – Affresco and Halo Halo, and you could be forgiven for thinking they had originated from the imaginations of two different designers.
Affresco is a modern interpretation of a traditional floral decoration, featuring geometric and botanic motifs, in bright, grainy, surreal colours. Using a digital design technique, the surprising combination of traditional and modern combine beautifully.
Halo Halo in shades of black and white is an entirely modern design inspired by pop art and graffiti. The nine unique graphic motifs of Halo Halo can be mixed in any combination to create individualised works of art.
With such a busy and diverse career, Navone has amassed a list of awards, every bit as impressive as you might expect:1983 Osaka: International Design Award. 1999 Paris: Prix d’éxcellence from Marie Claire Maison for Andaman bed; Prix createur de l’année of Maison&Objet. 2000 Koln: Designer of the year from Architektur & Wohnen. 2011 Milan: Elle Deco International Design Awards (EDIDA) for Bed Bug for Poliform; Elle Deco International Design Awards (EDIDA) for Metroquadro collection for Richard Ginori.
Today, Paola Navone remains an architect, product designer, art director and interior designer, working on projects for household names and boutique brands alike, bringing her unique magic to every new enterprise.
For more information visit bisazza-australia.com.au
