Billiani is a company and a chain of excellence at the same time, involving artisans with centuries of history, each specialized in one phase of the production process.
Our mission is to enable this productive context – the only one of its kind in the world – to continue to survive and thrive: Made in Italy takes on value above and beyond the product per se, becoming the expression of a shared cultural and manufacturing heritage in relation to a family business.
History
The Billiani company was founded in 1911 to produce chairs in curved wood with caning. The family-run factory was located in the heart of what was to become the chair district after World War II: the brothers Ottone, Orlando, Lino and Bruno Billiani were the protagonists of the business, during the years of the economic boom. In 1986 a third generation entered the firm, and Billiani became synonymous with seating for large orders, especially in foreign projects.
Towards the end of the 1990s Luigi Billiani, named after his grandfather and trained as an architect, decided to bring design into the company’s repertoire, and together with his wife Veronik Romanutti he created Billiani as it is today.
The debut at the Salone del Mobile in Milan in 2002, featured a provocative stand under the banner of design: it was designed by Marco Ferreri, also the creator of a chair in the running for the Compasso d’Oro award. While the bond with tradition was ensured by the projects of the master Werther Toffoloni, the collaboration with Emilio Nanni opened up a new era: colorful, pop, carefree. The list of creations expanded, and some of the items found their way into museums, from the MoMA in New York to the Milan Triennale.
In 2019 Cristina Celestino, an architect and designer based in Milan, was appointed as the company’s artistic director. The chair is still a central focus, as is the material: wood, the true leitmotif of the collection.
Made in Italy
Billiani’s work is connected and intertwined with that of the local production context: a guarantee of quality but also an investment in the chain of supply and manufacture, because every innovation increases the overall know-how of the entire district.
Contract
Flexible production and rapid response times are the primary characteristics required in the world of contract projects, which today requires much more: customization, the ability to interpret a concept in a complete series of products, great attention to detail, strength and durability.
Sustainability
Wood is not only our material of choice, it is the fulcrum of a philosophy inspired by sustainability.
For our products we use only FSC and PFSC certified wood, two international standards that ensure responsible plantation and forest management.
Our ongoing focus on environmental protection has led to our recent installation of photovoltaic panels to produce the energy necessary for our activities. We combine ecology with ethics: our zero km production is respectful of the people and communities involved.
In 1911 Billiani began its history by crossing a boundary. A border crossing that today, over a century later, becomes a key of interpretation for design, spanning tradition and experimentation; for production, spanning crafts and industry; for products, from contract applications to creations for the home.
The Billiani’s team will contact you.
