Dr. Paolo Pinto, Trade Commissioner of the Italian Trade Agency in Indonesia, plays a pivotal role in fostering bilateral trade relations between Italy and Indonesia. This year, Dr. Pinto, in conjunction with the annual promotion of Design Day, has asked Indonesia Design to host in its pages the profiles and production of some Italian companies interested in the Indonesian market. This insert, dedicated to Italian design, also intends to remind the Indonesian public of the imminent opening of the Salone del Mobile, held in Milan on 16-21 April 2024. It is a leading international event in the design industry, showcasing Italian design products, brands, and services, which are sure to arouse the interest of the Indonesian design community.
What efforts does the Italian Trade Agency Jakarta Office undertake to promote Italian design products and services?
The Italian Trade Agency, operating as the Trade Promotion Office of the Italian Embassy in Indonesia, advocates for ‘Made in Italy’ products and services across all industry sectors, including design and architecture. In 2023, we facilitated the participation of over 112 companies from various sectors in missions to Italy to partake in trade expositions. Amongst these, 25 companies specialised in design and architecture took part in related missions, including Salone del Mobile in Milan, Firenze Home Textile in Florence, Rimini Wellness in Rimini, Buy Design Project in Siena, Marmomac in Verona, FIND Design Fair Asia at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, CERSAIE in Bologna, and MADE Expo in Milan. These annual missions aim to showcase products from our country at trade fairs by means of B2B meetings with Italian manufacturers or producers, thus allowing Indonesian stakeholders to experience Italian products and brands first-hand.
Italy is renowned for its design and quality, particularly in furniture and marble. Could you elaborate on how the country has earned such a reputation?
It is perhaps interesting to note that Italy boasts around 80 percent of the world’s artistic heritage, with cities and architectural masterpieces dating back up to 3,000 years, sometimes even older than ancient Rome. I believe our reputation for design and quality is the result of the fusion of our history and our artistic heritage. “Made in Italy” products contain extraordinary beauty and quality, reflecting a rich heritage of culture and history. Equally important, Italian companies possess the specific skills and knowledge necessary to uphold centuries-old traditions by adapting them to contemporary design and trends.
Could you please provide a few examples of Indonesian architects, interior designers, or import companies that promote Italian design brands?
Certainly, there are many noteworthy companies in the Italian design sector. Amongst them, I would like to mention Laflo. This company stands out as a preferred partner for renowned Italian furniture brands such as Knoll, Ceccotti Collezioni, Living Divani, Flou, Glas Italia, Luceplan, FontanaArte, Lee Broom, Foscarini, and others. Another prominent name is MOIE, which offers a comprehensive collection of furniture items, kitchens, walk-in wardrobes, doors, partitions, and accessories featuring leading brands like Promemoria, Minotti, Poliform, Rimadesio, and Meridiani. In addition, Prodotti Indonesia is worth mentioning as the exclusive distributor of several Italian luxury furniture manufacturers, including Giorgetti, Flexform, Porro, and Gallotti & Radice. Prodotti also boasts an extensive selection of lighting brands such as Barovier & Toso, Melogranoblu, Flos, amongst others.