Italian furniture brand opens showroom in BGC

USING the strength and durability of aluminum to create slim, elegant designs that maximize space

AFTER a few years of hoping to penetrate the Philippine market, an Italian furniture company finally entered the country and brought its remarkable creations for the Filipino clients.

Through a partnership with Bespoke Doors and Furniture, Rimadesio, an Italian brand known for its glass doors and furniture, formally launched its first Philippine store located at Bonifacio Global City on Oct. 24. The company, which was established in Milan, Italy, in 1956, started to branch out globally by 2009.

Giuseppe Gaviraghi, Asia-Pacific regional manager of Rimadesio, said they’ve been wanting to open a store in the Philippines but the market was “not yet mature.” The business partnership with Bespoke, he said, was the keypoint of the collaboration.

“[Launching] Rimadesio is not like opening a convenience store. There’s no system like ‘you go buy these and sell them in these prices,’” Gaviraghi said. “There were people who asked to partner with us before, but they didn’t qualify.”

Bespoke president Andrew Ng said he found out about Rimadesio when he went to Milan to attend an expo. He then convinced Rimadesio, and other brands of furniture, to partner with their mono brand store.

THE LIGHTNESS and strength of aluminum allows display shelves to appear defying gravity.

“This is the perfect time [to introduce the brands] because the Philippine interior design is now strong and it is an emerging market,” Ng said.

According to Gaviraghi, there are already seven shops across Asia at the moment and will increase to 12 by mid-2016. Some of the shops are mono brands while the rest are dealers dedicated to Rimadesio only. Hong Kong, he said, is currently the strongest market.

For clients, meanwhile, who are specifically looking for Italian furniture, Gaviraghi said they are guaranteed to be very demanding clients as they want the best in the world.

“It’s like French for perms or Swiss for watches… This is the Italian furniture, especially the furniture of the district in Milan that produces the best in the world,” he said.

Gaviraghi, however, said they don’t want to look superb compared to the rest, but unique, as they are the sole producers of glass doors in Milan.

“Unique in a way that our core business is on doors: sliding doors and swing doors. Basically there are no other companies to compete with,” he said.

Gaviraghi also noted Rimadesio’s glass is of good quality. It comes in glossy and matte, and colored, mirrored, or both glasses.

“They are treated in so many ways, depending on its use. The glass is safe because, say it if gets broken, there aren’t huge sharp pieces that would fall,” he said.

Rimadesio president and CEO Davide Malberti said each client’s order is carefully crafted and shipped within three months.

“It’s not a long time; it’s the right time. All the Rimadesio products, especially the sliding doors, are customized always,” Malberti said.

GLASS is Rimadesio’s other prominently used material. It has a timeless elegance, and like aluminum, it is recyclable.

The staff and team here in Manila also went to Milan to be trained in a sort-of “Rimadesio Academy” where they get to visit the factory and learn the software and technical aspects of furniture installation.

Aside from the doors, Rimadesio also has a collection of living room furniture, bookcases, walk-in closets, among others.

“We will continue to educate the market [about Italian furniture] but it would take time for the clients to know the brand. Although there are some who already know and they’ve been waiting for Rimadesio to come here in the Philippines,” Ng said.