Giulia Catellani
CFO
Tobia Catellani
CEO
I began making my lamps without knowing whether I would ever sell them.
Success came suddenly, unexpectedly, without warning. I didn’t even know
how to make them on a production line. This is how Catellani & Smith was
born. Almost by chance. Logan Smith - who we encouraged people to
believe was a London architect - was actually the name of the horse I had at
the time. It was a way of not concentrating everything on me, giving myself
credibility but also beginning an unbroken journey marked out by ongoing
and spontaneous irony. I like to play down my creations. At the end of the
day they are simply lamps. But I put all of myself into them, all my research,
attention, expression. And I expect everyone working with me to do the same.
It is a question of respect for those who believe in us and are moved by our
products. I’m not a designer. I’m not an artist. And I don’t want to be either.
I’m a person who loves what he does. Then other people like it too. Since
1989 things have changed, the firm has grown, production has increased,
research on the back of technology. Now we can do much more. Everything
changed so that nothing would change. Our lamps are still made by hand
today, in attractive workspaces. They are all made in Italy, on the banks of
the Serio River… There’s no stress. Every lamp is given all the time it needs
to be well made. Because ‘beautiful’ is subjective, ‘perfect’ isn’t. I have
grown the people who work with me and they have helped me grow. Today
we’re getting ready for a new phase. New Smiths are ready to make waves.
Enzo Catellani
