Edra Magazine n°4
60
I
remember with tenderness and a touch of nostalgia
when Edra was born. There were so few of us, with
so few means but an immense desire to do things.
Then there were the fears and excitements of a new story.
It was a life story, conducted with the utmost respect for
the values I always believed in. Values that were also ap-
plied to the work. Fundamental, indispensable values for
me, of seriousness, willingness, depth, quality, manual
skills, humility.
Then there were the hope, and the passion, the precise
and decisive ideas that have always accompanied us. It
was the start of a journey into a new world, an unexplo-
red world. A journey that started without any references
or parameters of comparison. And we embarked on it
with all the pleasure, enthusiasm and concreteness that
youth gives you. Like a flower blossoming.
I have, and always have had, one strong conviction, always
the same. To make sofas, armchairs and other things...
products that offer the highest quality to people with the
pleasure of having them - forever. I speak of people, not
consumers. For me is a disparaging term that makes me
think of unfortunate victims of momentary fashions, that
age too soon. I have always looked for superlative quali-
ty, the kind that starts with a very intellectually elevated
idea, strong and deep, extraordinary and authentic. The
ideas a true author already has inside them.
These ideas take shape thanks to a great deal of research,
an enormous amount. And, after a long time and lots of
work - prototypes, trials, tests, arguments and joys - the
final product arrives, and it has to be created in a perfect
way, so that it can last forever.
Timeless beauty, elegance, concreteness: these are the
principles that have accompanied Edra since the begin-
ning. They have never changed.
For me, it is fundamental to respect them absolutely.
We have always looked for “pure authors”. Wherever
they were in the world, even when they were comple-
tely unknown. Authors with extraordinary intellectual
strength in them, and ideas of the highest quality.
So began the story of Edra, and it has never changed
course. Young students and architects began to colla-
borate with us in very simple profound ways, explaining
their ideas to us. Among the first I remember are Rober-
to Semprini and Mario Cananzi.
I feel proud, and I say this humbly, when I think that
Zaha Hadid, Masanori Umeda and the Campana brothers
made their debut with us.
When I think that Francesco Binfaré and Jacopo Foggini
set out on a significant new phase of their extraordinary
journey with Edra: two brilliant and authentic pure au-
thors.
The authors are all different from each other.
All with a precise and decided character.
All united by highly elevated ideas, deep, authentic and
very pure. Ideas that are not the product of extravagant
studies or market research, but simply of great intellect.
Ideas that come from the deepest parts of the heart and
soul. For me it has always been fundamental to consider
ideas that open to new horizons, ideas that propose new
values, great values, very strong but pleasing.
From those ideas, and with these authors, great collabo-
rations were born, relations were born that have lasted,
relations without end, relations enlivened by heated, con-
structive discussion. By the most intense understanding.
Perhaps this is what has always led Edra to great objects
of design, pure, original and authentic, always created
in a manual way, the only way to obtain the highest pos-
sible level of quality, even with the support of research
based on super-technologies. From the combination of
the two, although they seem distant, one harking to the
Renaissance and the second futuristic, products are born
that are practically perfect. And which today, are increa-
singly recognized as such around the world.
They are models that last forever, destined immediately
to become genuine classics, and perhaps become part of
history. I often reflect on the wonders that life and the
world have given to us. I think “there are still so many
things that could be done, so many discoveries, so many
inventions…”
Which is why I feel so sad when I encounter imitations of
objects created in Edra. Our models are born of profound
ideas and intuitions, and then years and years of intense
exchange, years and years dedicated to the details and
solutions, years and years of reflection, investment, hard
work and pure research.
Instead imitations and copies are thefts, of other peo-
ple’s thoughts, dreams, ideas and work. They do not have
a soul. They are either bad or worthless, just cheap go-
ods, and fake at that, only capable of an appearance like
deceptive and devious idea. Ideas deprived of ideas. The
result of an imitation or a copy is always sad, and sor-
ry. And also pitiful. I am disturbed by the lowness and
lack of seriousness in people who steal from others, pe-
ople who speculate with other people’s work. Those who
shabbily try to make other people believe they have in-
vented something when really it is only a bad copy. This
is truly sad. What I like is total respect between people.
I like seriousness. I like the honesty that makes you feel
good in your conscience. That allows you to think, when
you are alone in the deepest, most reflective silence of
your thoughts, that you have behaved in a respectful and
serious way, as a decent person.
Saint Francis said:
“Those who work with their hands are labourers.
Those who work with their hands and their head are craf-
tsmen. Those who work with their hands and their head
and their heart are artists.”
I dedicate these words, with the greatest affection and
pleasure, to all those who work with great honesty and
great seriousness, and naturally to all those who work
and collaborate seriously every day with Edra.
Many people work at Edra, all in the most skilful capa-
city, from those who manually and artistically shape,
construct and actually realise the objects, to those who
expertly and seriously organise and conduct complex
phases of management impeccably.
It has always given me immense pleasure to observe the
people who work at Edra. It makes me proud to see their
awareness that they are not creating objects to impress a
few consumers.
They work with their hearts, to give the greatest satisfac-
tion to people who purchase Edra products, conscious
that they deserve the utmost respect. People like we are.
The way we like to be.
Time has passed, the years have passed, and thank God
Edra’s superlative quality and seriousness are increasin-
gly recognised.
Edra, this creature truly born from nothing, has become
an important company worldwide. And this is thanks to
the many people, in ever greater numbers, who deeply
appreciate Edra products.
I watched Edra as it was born. I watched it grow. Every
day I have given it my all. But even for me it remains, and
I believe it will always remain, a fascinating and pleasu-
rable mystery. From the deepest of my heart I would like
to thank all those who have been close to me and Edra,
over the years.
And to thank those who continue to be close.
Even from heaven.
Valerio Mazzei
President of Edra
EDRA: ONE STORY... MANY STORIES...
A LIFE...
