The art of story-telling

From Locarno, Switzerland, where he was born in 1965 to an Austrian mother and an Italian father, to Japan, via France and China, Claudio Colucci’s aesthetic has been influenced by myriad cultures. He founded his famous studio in Geneva in 2000 and it’s now represented in Tokyo and Beijing. Together with his son Fabio, he combines multiple means of expression, segueing easily from the creation of cutlery design for Christofle to the interior design of a Parisian hotel, from a collaboration with Ligne Roset to the scenography of a luxury boutique. "All my objects and projects always tell a story, and this is the secret of my success," he acknowledges. In 2000, he was named creator of the year at the Paris furniture fair.

As a designer, working in industrial and interior design, fine craftsmanship is very important to the creation of pieces, the two fields are intertwined. I enjoy the challenge of making objects functional, whilst craftspeople help me to transform an object into a unique piece of art, the dialogue and relationship is crucial.

We have offices in Geneva, Japan and China. We work with local craftspeople from each country or the surrounding ones. I relish meeting the artisans and learning all about their techniques which are so closely linked to their region’s cultures, such as those working with Urushi lacquer or bamboo in Japan. I always try to find a balance between more traditional craftspeople and more contemporary ones.

Vincent Du Bois is a childhood friend, we have always shared a passion for creativity and exchanged our idea and experiences with each other. It’s a privilege to have this open dialogue – where we can learn from each other, challenging the boundaries of art, craft and design.

When the work of the hand surpasses that of the mind, then we can speak of excellence.