Spotlight On: I + I src
Milano
In Iyaric, the dialect of English used by Rastafarians, “I and I” is a phrase that refers to the absolute oneness of two persons, the oneness of all humanity. So isn’t “I + I” an odd name for a stylish, Italian, multi-disciplinary design company specializing in limited edition furniture, objets d’art for the home, and conceptual and minimalist handmade rugs? “Absolutely not!” says I+I co-founder Paolo Giordano. “Our philosophy is to use crafts to create connections with people in other countries and, I hope, to help bridge the span between East and West artistically and socially.” Paolo says part of that means the unwavering respect for and dignity of workers. GoodWeave™ helps him fulfill that part of his mission.Paolo explains that the aesthetic goal of his company has always been to use ancient crafts in modern ways. The rugs, sold mostly in Europe and Asia and found in private collections and museums, use designs created in Italy by five designers from different countries. The pieces, 70 percent of which are custom, are then hand woven and hand knotted in Nepal and India. “India is a good school. It helped me reach a different perception of design,” says Paolo, who lived some years in Jodhpur. His interest, he explains, is to “translate the traditional to modernity” as “I+I” clearly does with carpets such as designer Richard Hutton’s “Playing with Tradition” series.
Creating contemporary rugs with traditional patterns made in an entirely “anti-industrial” way, says Paolo, is about more than design or business. “I do like contributing to developing an international language of carpets, but what seems most important is that rugs allow us to be part of a bigger picture… an engagement, a discourse with the developing world.” Clearly for Paolo Giordano and I+I that means justice and respect for the individuals on whose craftsmanship the rug depends. “If the workers were not treated with dignity,” says Paolo, “I simply could not enjoy the beauty of the rug.”
Find out more at www.i-and-i.it.
