Lounging in Luxury
STYLE |
Bespoke furniture Robert Smith says each Promemoria piece is unique
Lounging in Luxury Robert Smith of the Italian brand Promemoria talks to Bunyaporn Burechittinanta about furniture with no price cap
hen we tell robert smith that we’re more interested in the lifestyle angle than the commercial side of his merchandise, he’s gleeful. “That’s ideal. That’s more like our cup of tea,” says Promemoria’s overseas brand manager. “We don’t consider ourselves a mere furniture maker—we’re also artists whose individual crafts are defined by a flair for style.” Instead of choosing to capture the spirit of the time and classifying itself as a classic or vintage brand, the bespoke, hand-made producer chooses to capture the essence of its customers’ personalities. Promemoria was founded by Romeo Sozzi in 1987 with the idea of catering to the very top people in the social echelon, ones whose happiness has no price cap. “Our customers always look for something unique and different that no one else has, or can afford to have,” says Smith. “And I believe our work’s been proved worthy of that title.” The fact that the company is still a family-run business is a comforting one, in the sense that it’s remaining true to its philosophy. “Even today all the pieces are assembled one by one, hand stitched, and finished by the founding maestros themselves in the factory at Lake Como. Because of the possible combinations of the countless types of furnishing, fabrics, material and stitching colours and sizes, Promemoria almost never produces the same item twice in a year. “Being able to customise your furniture is—I’ll not say priceless—but certainly invaluable,” he says. “Because it has to match the curtains, or the flowers your wife likes, and that means a great deal.” thailand tatler . june 2015
PROFILE
Smith crossed over from the fashion world, and it’s tempting to ask him how the word style applies to the furniture industry. “We’re like haute couture, very delicate and fragile, that’s true, but it simply makes you feel good when the pieces are there in your home. Just like a lady with a nice bag or a gentleman with a nice scarf,” he says. But can’t it be argued that haute couture is not practical? “Well you can have many things that are useful, but your house also needs to have a masterpiece, something that you choose expressly for yourself and have it made especially for you.” Although Promemoria has adorned the houses of prime ministers, aristocrats, bank owners and celebrities all over the world, it hasn’t yet made much of a splash in Thailand. How do you plan to get the word out to the population? “We’re only aiming for the privileged ones. We’re not one of those fashion brands that are popular with people who recently become rich and want the pieces because they’re in someone’s house. At Promemoria, we are recognisable in our own circles where people have the purchasing power and are endowed with good taste,” says Smith, almost as a tease. Available at the Boundary showroom on Sukhumvit Soi 49, the brand plans to launch its products with a soft collection, meaning that the first presentation will be of the softer shades of green, brown, grey. But wouldn’t that be illogical? If there’s a masterpiece in the room, wouldn’t the customer want it to stand out? “Yes, but the display is only the tool that helps you to show the quality of the product and its design. If a customer sees the velvety violet on display, she won’t order the same one because it’s no more unique. You know, the funny thing is many of our customers start off buying one lamp, then an armchair, a table, and before they know it the whole place is furnished in Promemoria.” According to Smith, people invest in the furniture as they believe the pieces will appreciate in value and become valuable antiques in the future. Smith may be responsible for the brand’s image, but he wouldn’t have done so well without really embodying the corporate values and identity himself. “There’s an Italian mood of the 60s called la dolce vita, the sweet life, and I’m a staunch believer in that,” he says. “I’m travelling too much, so during my day off I stay around Lake Como. The weather is beautiful, the food, fashion, and arts are inspiring. It’s a great place to rest and use as a base.”
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Bespoke furniture Robert Smith says each Promemoria piece is unique
Lounging in Luxury Robert Smith of the Italian brand Promemoria talks to Bunyaporn Burechittinanta about furniture with no price cap
hen we tell robert smith that we’re more interested in the lifestyle angle than the commercial side of his merchandise, he’s gleeful. “That’s ideal. That’s more like our cup of tea,” says Promemoria’s overseas brand manager. “We don’t consider ourselves a mere furniture maker—we’re also artists whose individual crafts are defined by a flair for style.” Instead of choosing to capture the spirit of the time and classifying itself as a classic or vintage brand, the bespoke, hand-made producer chooses to capture the essence of its customers’ personalities. Promemoria was founded by Romeo Sozzi in 1987 with the idea of catering to the very top people in the social echelon, ones whose happiness has no price cap. “Our customers always look for something unique and different that no one else has, or can afford to have,” says Smith. “And I believe our work’s been proved worthy of that title.” The fact that the company is still a family-run business is a comforting one, in the sense that it’s remaining true to its philosophy. “Even today all the pieces are assembled one by one, hand stitched, and finished by the founding maestros themselves in the factory at Lake Como. Because of the possible combinations of the countless types of furnishing, fabrics, material and stitching colours and sizes, Promemoria almost never produces the same item twice in a year. “Being able to customise your furniture is—I’ll not say priceless—but certainly invaluable,” he says. “Because it has to match the curtains, or the flowers your wife likes, and that means a great deal.” thailand tatler . june 2015
PROFILE
Smith crossed over from the fashion world, and it’s tempting to ask him how the word style applies to the furniture industry. “We’re like haute couture, very delicate and fragile, that’s true, but it simply makes you feel good when the pieces are there in your home. Just like a lady with a nice bag or a gentleman with a nice scarf,” he says. But can’t it be argued that haute couture is not practical? “Well you can have many things that are useful, but your house also needs to have a masterpiece, something that you choose expressly for yourself and have it made especially for you.” Although Promemoria has adorned the houses of prime ministers, aristocrats, bank owners and celebrities all over the world, it hasn’t yet made much of a splash in Thailand. How do you plan to get the word out to the population? “We’re only aiming for the privileged ones. We’re not one of those fashion brands that are popular with people who recently become rich and want the pieces because they’re in someone’s house. At Promemoria, we are recognisable in our own circles where people have the purchasing power and are endowed with good taste,” says Smith, almost as a tease. Available at the Boundary showroom on Sukhumvit Soi 49, the brand plans to launch its products with a soft collection, meaning that the first presentation will be of the softer shades of green, brown, grey. But wouldn’t that be illogical? If there’s a masterpiece in the room, wouldn’t the customer want it to stand out? “Yes, but the display is only the tool that helps you to show the quality of the product and its design. If a customer sees the velvety violet on display, she won’t order the same one because it’s no more unique. You know, the funny thing is many of our customers start off buying one lamp, then an armchair, a table, and before they know it the whole place is furnished in Promemoria.” According to Smith, people invest in the furniture as they believe the pieces will appreciate in value and become valuable antiques in the future. Smith may be responsible for the brand’s image, but he wouldn’t have done so well without really embodying the corporate values and identity himself. “There’s an Italian mood of the 60s called la dolce vita, the sweet life, and I’m a staunch believer in that,” he says. “I’m travelling too much, so during my day off I stay around Lake Como. The weather is beautiful, the food, fashion, and arts are inspiring. It’s a great place to rest and use as a base.”
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