Who says that decorative lighting does not illuminate? Not Contardi. The Italian lighting company is dedicated to creating products that are at once aesthetically pleasing and functional.Over the years, Contardi has built a reputation for its skillful, sartorial approach to lighting, its eclectic style, the variety of materials used, the elegance of its finishes, and its cutting-edge LED technology. Contardi products are proudly 100-percent made in Italy and feature instantly recognizable yet timeless designs that are always contemporary… regardless of passing trends.
Highly client-focused, Contardi has developed its business through two main areas: the Home Division, represented by the suspension lamps, wall lamps, floor lamps, lanterns, table lamps, and other lighting products (primarily used for residential projects); and the Contract Division, which specializes in bespoke products aimed at the contract market, particularly the leisure and hospitality industries. Through these distinct yet complementary sectors, Contardi has become synonymous with service, quality, and flexibility, becoming a reference point for architects, interior decorators, and lighting consultants searching for original, decorative, and functional lighting.
History
Contardi is a young company with a significant history. The first Contardi branded product dates back to 2006. But before then, Contardi had a 30-year record of successful collaborations, providing lighting expertise to some of the most iconic companies on the Italian design scene. It all started with the creative genius of Michele Carcano, who worked for Stilnovo – one of the first companies to build a reputation as a lighting designer. Today, Michele’s sons Achille and Paola Carcano have taken the reins of the company, which is headquartered in Brianza district of Italy’s Lombardy region, considered the “beating heart” of Made-in-Italy manufacturing.
Materials
Contardi has earned the moniker of “Couturier of Contemporary Lighting” for its fashionable and skilled use of a wide range of materials. Metal is a common component of Contardi products, and many of its raw materials are sourced from Italian steel mills, where regulatory compliance ensures they are free of solvents or heavy metals. Fabric is also a common material used by Contardi Lighting… particularly for its lampshades. These fabrics are made from non-allergenic and non-toxic materials, and many of them are also fireproof.
Contardi prides itself on its continuous evolution; its 2021 collection includes lighting produced with materials that have 100-percent organic origins, including cellulose and incredibly, coffee grounds.
Contardi Lighting is increasingly committed to sustainable business practices. For instance, it now uses “Comi Eco” marked boxes, which certifies they are made from recycled and natural materials. The company also has extensively removed single-use plastic from its production chain. In November 2020, Contardi partnered with esteemed Dutch designer Annet van Egmond to commercialize a design called “Miss Nightingale” that’s a fun, candle-shaped, and totally portable solar-powered table lamp.
Designers
Under the art direction of San Marino-born Massimiliano Raggi – who has more than a dozen Contardi lighting collections to his name – Contardi has teamed up with international designers who are able to interpret and anticipate lighting trends in the residential and hospitality sectors. Contardi also taps into the creative minds of its in-house research and development department, All Together, where technicians and designers create lighting products that are both decorative and functional.
Other design collaborators include:
- Alessandro Poli and Francesca De Giorgi of studio Servomuto (Arcipelago and Calypso)
- French designer Tristan Auer (Coco, Coconette, Melanocetus, and Muse); his studio Izeu, co-founded with Frédéric Sicard, also designed the Duos Collection
- the “mysterious” Jeffrey Glass, a New York City bartender (G+T)
- Maria Vafiadis, founder of MKV Design (Beam)
- Slovenia-based designer Nika Zupanc (Crystal)
- Stockholm-born designer Staffan Tollgard (Belle, Recessed, Resette, Timeless)
- Marcello Colli (Dorian), who partnered with Maurizio Di Mauro for the Solitario and Stardust collections
- Riccardo Roselli and Jeremy King, former partners of studio King Roselli Architetti (Flexiled)
- New York-based Jessica Corr for studio Tzelan (Ongo)
- Milan-based designers Daniele Lo Scalzo Moscheri (Couture) and Gianluigi Landoni (Divina, Frame, M.Me Butterfly, Oops, and XXL)
- Parisian product designer Stephanie Du Mesnil Gaillard (Lala)
- Milan-based interior designer Andrea Fogli (Tata)
Projects
Hotels, restaurants, and yachts all over the world have become stages where Contardi products perform perfectly within their surroundings. Notable projects include the Hôtel Lutetia in Paris; Park Hyatt Washington, D.C.; Mandarin Oriental, Miami; Palazzo Manfredi Hotel in Rome; Severin’s Alpine Retreat in Lech, Austria; Novikov Restaurant in Downtown Miami; Hotel Excelsior in Pesaro, Italy.
“Diversity is not just a distinguishing characteristic of our products. It is the DNA of our company.”
