A unique style, lively experimentation with materials and balanced volumes are the key traits of Visionnaire, a leading meta-luxury brand in Made in Italy interior design, founded in 2004 by IPE – a maison based in Bologna since 1959 -, which has made a name for itself with its one-of-a-kind custom style.
“The meta-luxury of content and values – blending craftsmanship, history, culture and rarity – refers to our commitment to a responsible use of materials, technological research and a more efficient production line,” emphasises Eleonore Cavalli, Creative Director of Visionnaire.
“Operating in over 55 countries, our brand relies on a network of more than 30 artisan hubs throughout Italy, allowing for the creation of truly unique items: the combination of materials and expert hand of artisans, who test and perfect new materials and compositions, curate the identity of each product, making it impossible to replicate. Visionnaire is also rigorously committed to its territory: a benefit corporation since 2021, in 2019 we gained the Fsc (Forest Stewardship Council) and Pefctm (Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification) certifications. We also use innovative, low-impact fabrics and leathers, and programmes to neutralise emissions, supporting forest conservation projects. The brand is also ISO 20121 certified with events and shows becoming less and less impactful and reducing energy and water consumption”.
The brand bases its activities on the value of knowledge and a constant search for contemporary beauty through markedly tailored projects and design products, promoting and enhancing the work of local craftsmanship. With its team of eclectic, visionary designers, both Italian and international, they develop bespoke proposals for residential, luxury hotel, aviation and yachting environments. This same versatile background, its sartorial approach, and the blending of different sectors has enabled Visionnaire to establish itself in the nautical market in no time. One key project is the collaboration on the design and interiors of the 89-metre Amels yacht Here comes the sun.
“We made the owner’s dreams come true, creating a space that connects man and nature,” explains Eleonore Cavalli. “The living room features a Bastian Dual sofa and Atreyu low table with its “envelope” style juxtaposed with two Auryn coffee tables by Mauro Lipparini, establishing a chromatic harmony with the sea, visible through the panoramic windows. The Kerwan dining table by Alessandro La Spada is a crown jewel of the room, combining concave and convex forms in metal and marble; the marble curvature of the legs itself is obtained from a slab, not from a block, thus minimising waste.
This approach characterises every project, developed alongside shipyards of the calibre of Baglietto, Benetti, Lürssen, Mondomarine, Sanlorenzo and Sunseeker. “Life and seafaring are experiences that exalt a reconciliation with the natural environment, moments in which to explore and push one’s imagination beyond boundaries, towards new horizons,” continues Visionnaire’s Creative Director. “In a design concept that insists on the most profound and emotional side of human life, the convergence between individual wellbeing and that of the surrounding ecosystem is of fundamental importance to us, at a time when social and environmental awareness is essential”.
The Baglietto 48-metre T-Line is a perfect example of this. Here, we selected the furnishings and finishes, focusing on indoor/outdoor liveability throughout the main, upper and lower decks, including the main living area, master cabin, VIP cabins, home theatre and outdoor areas. The interiors are linear and contemporary, with curated colour combinations: from the neutral soft tones of the furnishings – inspired by an earth and sea palette in harmony with the light wood floor, to a dark délabré brass ceiling, which gives the environment a sense of envelopment and intimacy. All spaces exist in osmosis with the outdoors and allow those onboard to fully experience the concept of a sea voyage.
In this same spirit, with the Wunderkammer24-The Art Design installation project “Narrazioni Intrecciate” curated by Draga and Aurel and presented from 3rd to 8th December at Design Miami, Visionnaire has also committed itself to an increasingly dominant market segment: that of art design, synonymous with curatorial architecture, a shift from space to project that will also see the brand taking part in Design Miami this December. “Similarly to how we approach megayachts, for us art design has never just been about collectibles, but rather the word ‘project’,” Eleonore Cavalli concludes. “We begin with architecture to design a space through curatorial work shared with artists, which leads to the final product. These works are conceived as installations within an architectural space, where the empathic, emotional and functional relationship between an object, the people who use it and the environment becomes the installation itself”.
Gaia Grassi
