Supple & Sensual Seats

Leather has always enjoyed a certain degree of respect, prestige and class over other materials. And with good reason, for the great care and painstaking process of achieving its smoothness and suppleness naturally equal a rare, sensual experience.

I recently had this very pleasurable encounter when I discovered designer leather sofas from Poltrona Frau at FurnItalia. These exceptional home and office furnishings from Tolentino, Italy are made with genuine full-grain leather, which has the feel of real skin and the look of rustic beauty – classic, comfortable and sexy.

Contrary to popular belief, which makes leather an inappropriate choice for upholstery in this warm weather, full-grain leather has pores that breathe, takes some characteristics of the surrounding climate and feels better with age. It’s also durable, easy to maintain and health friendly. Unlike fabrics, leather does not rip or run even under extreme conditions, absorb dirt and stain, and trigger allergies caused by microscopic particles and insects.

Poltrona Frau has been here in the country for barely a year and is already enjoying very successful patronage from Manila’s well-heeled set. Thanks to Florence Ko, managing director of FurnItalia, who decided to introduce it to the Philippine market because of the great satisfaction she has been enjoying since her first Frau purchase.

"My family has a background in furniture and we’re always on the lookout for good brands. People now want simple lines, sleek structures but with elegant and excellent quality. The response of the Philippine market to Poltrona Frau has been very positive," she says.

Florence tells me Poltrona Frau has been a leader in Italy’s leather upholstered furniture business since 1912. If your house is inspired by a 1930s motif, they still produce bestsellers of that period, like the Vanity Fair and Chester models. If you’re looking for more current styles, they have modern pieces like the Quadra, Ravello, Talus and Dezza by Gio Ponti, which have clean cut, versatile and compact designs. Their extensive catalogue has something for each and every genre.

Their handcrafted creations are made of exceptional, smooth, soft, ageless, light and stain-resistant Pelle Frau leather using a rigid, time-honored 20-step process. The prestige that comes with owning a Poltrona Frau piece comes from its 90 years of history, culture and tradition, high-quality craftsmanship and detail enhancement.

Maybe this was why Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi insisted on having especially-made Poltrona Frau furniture for the G8 Summit in Italy. Luxury cars like Ferrari, Maserati, Bugatti and BMW also have their automobiles fitted with Poltrona Frau seats. Some public spaces such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Top Class seats of Japan Airlines carry this illustrious brand.

Their projects also include theaters and auditoriums like the Lowry in Manchester and Pixar Animation Studios in the US, hotels and restaurants like the Korova in Paris, offices, luxury ships, VIP airport lounges like the Florence airport and showrooms of renowned brands like Bentley, Brioni, Bulgari, Cartier, Hermes, Prada and Rolls Royce.

Poltrona Frau aims to make leather a contemporary material and works with major international interpreters in the field of architecture and design to achieve this goal. Used exclusively in high lifestyle environments, it also seeks "to satisfy in a sober way the emotional needs of an elitist international public." The makers combine the classic and the current with the constants of tasteful design and superior quality. Their impressive catalogue combines the tradition of the past with the innovation of tomorrow.

"Ninety-five percent of clients including architects and designers who come to FurnItalia were really amazed. It’s because Poltrona Frau works with famous architects like Lord Norman Foster, Richard Meier and other international names in design. They appreciate the beauty of its form and construction," Florence comments.

More than just being a status symbol, the product is an heirloom piece designed to outlive fashion trends. The emphasis on wonderful comfort and sober elegance is seen in its fine craftsmanship. I just cannot help but romanticize my experience of the plush divans and cozy office chairs on display at Poltrona Frau’s showroom in Greenhills. The settee easily takes the shape of your body, cradles your curves, bends and stretches as you move about. It is more of an abstract entity, a space that yields to your contours, carries the weight of your tensions and speaks of your inimitable taste.

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Visit the Poltrona Frau showroom at FurnItalia, Designmix Building, 59 Connecticut St., Northeast Greenhills, San Juan, or call 722-0156.