imperfect beauty distinguishes natuzzi argo collection by paola navone

a new ecosystem of design is found with natuzzi italia‘s the circle of harmony collection. the concept pays tribute to the beauty, inclusiveness, and inherent craftsmanship of the famed made-in-puglia brand, but it does so with a fresh reinterpretation. eight designers – marcantonio, claudio bellini, nika zupanc, maurizio manzoni, BYBORRE, mauro lipparini, paola navone, and fabio novembre – merge their unique creativity with the core values of natuzzi in a series of new designs, which range from modular soft seating to mirrors, lamps, and even a three-dimensional upholstery. the results find a perfect balance of classic and contemporary, staying true to natuzzi italia’s ideas of style, sustainability, and a comfortable lifestyle.

including a chaise longue, armchair and sofa, paola navone designs the natuzzi italia argo collection with a focus on the imperfect beauty of softness. designboom travelled to the brand’s home in puglia to find our more about the design, process, and its relationship in the circle of harmony.

all images courtesy of natuzzi italia

‘for me, natuzzi italia is like a planet as it embraces so many different elements. it is very interesting to understand the energy that pasquale junior [natuzzi italia creative director] is trying to add to the brand. it is a big and difficult adventure, one that made me very curious to join,’ begins paola navone to designboom.

the natuzzi italia argo collection reflects both the brand and the designer’s experimentation for ‘new worlds’. the designs are inspired by the ever-changing nature of puglia and the integral part the movement of the surrounding sea plays, from their dynamic form to mediterranean colors. the designs also link to the circle of harmony as navone adds a contemporary touch to its peaceful and relaxed outlook on life.

‘to begin, we focused on comfort so started with designing the proportions. like a string, I was trying to pull the fabric or leather in a certain way to make the designs less formal and more soft. the backrest pulls the form to make it more three-dimensional or floppy, in other words,’ notes navone. ‘I believe people want to come home to find a super soft sofa.’

the collection looks at imperfect beauty and simplicity in highlighting its softness. generous dimensions are accentuated by the 3D padding. it really does visualize the designer’s interpretation of the needs of the modern living space as well as the italian brand’s lifestyle.

the sleeping argo chaise longue epitomizes the collection’s focus on comfort. its form sinuously flows to accommodate different resting positions, which are made possible thanks to an electric mechanism operated using touch buttons. the two positions – chaise longue and day bed – exaggerate the feeling of rest to deliver extreme comfort.

‘the moving, reclining chair is a typical product of the natuzzi italia planet. it was a challenge to design as I took the traditional and transformed it into something new. it is a pure form focused on comfort,’ explains paola navone.

the chaise longue as well as the swivelling armchair, two and three-seater sofa versions are all characterized by an unexpected pop of detail with a knot – or two – on their backs. this helps make the designs the protagonist of the living space, as they perfectly find their place in the center of the room. whatever size or for whatever setting, argo is an island of comfort.

the soft, inviting character of the natuzzi italia argo collection is accentuated with its generous upholstery, either in leather of fabric. it can even be upholstered in the water textile by BYBORRE, which is a yarn made from high quality wool and recycled PES. like the soft seating, it is inspired by the movement of sea and helps create an additional décontracté effect.

‘I originally only wanted to use leather for the design,’ concludes paola navone to desginboom. ‘when I discovered the water textile, I knew it needed to dress argo. BYBORRE is a creator I like very much. he does a lot of development on fabrics to turn them into three-dimensional forms.’