Living Divani: harmony in proportions, attention to detail, love for quality.

Interview with Carola Bestetti, CEO Living Divani.

Can you tell us what led to the collaboration with DANI?
It was during a trade fair, about fifty years ago, when my father Luigi Bestetti (co-founder of Living Divani) encountered the company Dani for the first time. Living Divani was looking for a collaborator specialized in aniline leathers and found the right partner in Dani, establishing an open and profitable relationship from the start. At the beginning the leather was only two colours (ivory and light brown), but over the years our collaboration led to the development of numerous special projects, mostly represented by leathers studied together to meet the company’s needs and which, at the same time, were not currently available on the market.

Is there any particular reason why you chose to collaborate with DANI?
Without doubt the company’s willingness to cooperate in the realization of projects studied together, today just as in the past, is an essential feature. Also, from the outset DANI proved to have a cutting edge technical team and R&D department, not only capable of meeting market demands promptly, but also of anticipating them. 

What are the strengths of DANI leather that won you over and have made the partnership last so long?
First and foremost, its attention to quality. Dani leathers are the result of an innovative production process that starts from top quality raw materials. Dani has the ability and takes care only to choose full grain aniline leathers (Italian or European) that offer a guarantee both as regards aesthetics and durability and lasting appeal. Lastly, but not as regards importance, the company has embarked on a journey aimed at sustainability, with Zero Impact leathers, some of which we have decided to include in our collection. Articles produced without heavy metals, in a short supply chain, with maximum reuse of waste and with low emissions, with which Living Divani commits to embracing a green-oriented process aimed at creating long-term economic, social and environmental value.

What do you think of leather alternatives?
In our opinion it is very complex to find an alternative to top quality natural leathers. The excellence that can be obtained with this material, in terms of aesthetics, handle, processing, versatility and durability, is difficult to replicate using artificial materials. However, this is not the case for the contract sector, especially hotels and public spaces, where the performances required (ease of maintenance, fire resistance, indoor/outdoor, watertightness, etc.) are increasingly technical and easily achieved with artificial coverings such as leatherette and coated fabrics. 

What trends are emerging in the world of furniture design?
Today’s market, increasingly diversified and international, is looking for products capable of satisfying the many requirements of style and necessity. Products and solutions that, through finishes and different materials, reflect a heterogeneous taste. Models capable of communicating not only quality and beauty, which are intrinsic to Made in Italy, but also the story and human face of “the people behind the Company and the product”, to establish a deeper and genuine relationship, above and beyond the renown of the brand itself. Also, in a context of brand globalization, design must satisfy and reflect all cultures and directly engage with the changes in social and technological landscapes. Design as a project to address the dynamics of a constantly evolving market.