Moroso

Founded by Agostino and Diana Moroso in the mid-twentieth century, by the early 70s Moroso had become a major force in international Architecture and Design. Under the able guidance of Creative Director Patrizia Moroso, the company has attracted some of the contemporary era’s top designers, including Ron Arad, Antonio Citterio, Konstantin Grcic, Ross Lovegrove, Javier Mariscal, Patricia Urquiola, and Tokujin Yoshioka.

• Iconic Product: America Sofa — Perhaps Moroso’s ascendance can be linked to the release of the America Sofa in 1974. America features a polypropylene foam core, hardwood frame, goose down/polyester fiberfill cushions, and black polypropylene feet. With its removable, washable covers in multiple colors—and smart synergy between comfort and a clean, modern look—America set the standard for Moroso’s chairs and sofas. Nearly 40 years after its debut, the piece continues to be a top seller.
• Iconic Designer: Patricia Urquiola — For over a decade, Moroso and prolific designer Patricia Urquiola have enjoyed an immensely productive collaboration. Begun back in 1998, the extraordinary synergy between manufacturer and designer coalesced in 2000 with the release of the Lowland Sofa. This low-profile piece with broad surfaces and movable, modular elements represented a new functional outlook for sofas: “Lowland proposes simple and essential elements such as the seat, back and arm rests; the seats are elementary shapes, large masses conceived in different dimensions, that may be placed next to each other to create a sofa or according to one´s wishes.” With each passing year, Moroso and Urquiola continue to create stylistically innovative pieces of unsurpassed utility. Other highlights include Smock, Fjord, Antibodi, and the Bohemian Sofa.
• Armchair Collection — There’s nothing quite like a Moroso Armchair. After more than 60 years of designing some of the world’s most welcoming chairs, Moroso continues to surprise and delight. These many pieces are as varied in conception as they are in construction and aesthetic inclination, but several of them share an habitual Moroso profile: spacious and soft, with oversized features and intriguing sculptural details. Antonio Citterio’s Novecento, Javier Mariscal’s Los Muebles Amorosos, and Ron Arad’s Big Easy are among Moroso’s most iconic pieces.
• Commercial Collection Commercial — While Moroso chairs and sofas are known for their residential appeal—and, indeed, the manufacturer’s products can be found in the homes of such prominent personalities as Tina Turner and Marina Abramovic—the company also offers an impressive commercial line. Many of Moroso’s contract furnishings have crossover appeal, as the manufacturer specializes in bringing together high-profile designers in order to outfit luxe interiors. Examples of these habitual collaborations include the Budapest Airport, featuring Enrico Franzolini’s Stainless and Rodolfo Dordoni’s Waiting; the Holiday Inn Milano, with Urquiola’s Smock and Konstantin Grcic’s Osorom; and Torino’s One Apple Bar, featuring 19 different Moroso pieces from 12 different designers.

Though they’re known for their extraordinary collection of sofas and armchairs, Moroso also boasts an impressive line of other furnishings and accessories. In addition to chairs and sofas, the Moroso product portfolio includes chaise lounges, low stools, bar stools, day beds, benches, tables, bookcases, rugs, and mirrors. Moroso also offers an entire line of high-performance outdoor furnishings. But perhaps foremost among the company’s recent innovations is their comprehensive environmental policy. Continuing a tradition begun in the late 90s when the company became the first to receive ISO 14001 certification for environment administration, Moroso has implemented a green ethos for manufacturing processes. The policy stipulates non-polluting production protocols and use of materials that are natural or as recyclable as possible.