Luxury and lifestyle. A conversation with Monique Zappalà

Bentley and Bugatti were born as car brands and became lifestyle brands. How do you translate the values of a brand in the transition from one area to another?
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We start from the history, roots and DNA of the brand. I am very lucky, because both Bentley and Bugatti have two beautiful stories to tell. Bentley is linked to English elegance and great care for materials, it is no coincidence that it is the car of the royal family, while Bugatti was founded by a family of hypercreative artists, sculptors and designers. It is from here, from these suggestions, that we start to create a coherent lifestyle.

So what values define Bentley and Bugatti in the world of interior design, and how do they stay true to their origin?
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Bentley Motors, at an automotive level, is appreciated by everyone, even its competitors, for the luxury and elegance of its cars. With Bentley Home we aim to recreate this atmosphere in the home, also looking for the same scents of wood and leather. Bugatti, on the other hand, is both very artistic and very hi-tech: Bugatti supercars are powerful, but slim. In this case, therefore, we are not going to enrich, but to strip, seeking dynamism, speed and technological ideas.

How important are materials and what role do they have in telling the brand identity?
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Materials matter a lot. For Bentley Home we start from the woods, which are the heart of the project. Then of course, we also combine other materials, taking care of the tactile and sensorial aspect. For Bugatti Home, too, there is a lot of research, but the preferred materials are carbon, aluminium, titanium – lighter, more technological and essential.

The two brands are part of Luxury Living Group. What relationship is there with the other brands in the group?
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What the brands of the group have in common is knowing how to grasp and protect the identity of the brand. For my part, I have the great privilege of working at the same time with a group that leaves me a lot of space for expression and with brands that invest heavily in research, suppliers and innovation. Then of course, every brand has its secrets.

Speaking of secrets, how does your supplier search go?
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Surely in the search for suppliers I privilege authenticity, the ability to express authentic luxury. However, I would talk more about partners than suppliers, because these companies actually work together with us.

When and how did you meet Incalmi, and what did you work on together?
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I have known Incalmi for several years, I contacted them for a special Bentley Home project. I wanted to combine a historical, truthful and long-lasting story with something contemporary, and the enamel on copper technique turned out to be exactly what I was looking for. We have developed a collection of accessories together, but the research has not been completed, on the contrary, there are several projects underway.

You have been working for Luxury Living Group for more than fifteen years: how has this area evolved over time? And what evolutions do you imagine for the future?
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I have seen it evolve a great deal. I joined Luxury Living taking care of Kenzo Casa [the interior design collection linked to the well-known fashion brand, produced and distributed under license by Luxury Living Group until 2016, Ed.]. Fendi Casa already existed, and the idea of bringing fashion into the world of interior design was somehow easier, because fashion allows you to have many keys to understanding. Today it is necessary to build a project that has the authenticity of luxury: the client must perceive materials, languages, a story that is truly different and unique.
For the future, I think the biggest challenge is sustainability. We should focus on slowing down, doing less and better, just aiming to create beautiful products. In recent years we have perhaps gone a little’ too fast.

Is there a project you are particularly attached to?
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Working for Kenzo Casa was very nice: the creative director was the stylist Antonio Marras, and his story was always very full of ideas. I must say, however, that I am very fond of Bentley Home, for me this brand is almost like a child, interpreting its world has been and continues to be very exciting, as well as a challenge.

Bentley is an English brand, French Bugatti, but their Home collections are produced by an Italian group. What do you think is the role of Italy in the ability to interpret and shape international luxury?
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Italy has a unique craft capacity. I myself, when I want to learn something, go to the laboratory and talk to the artisans, the way they transform the material is unique. And then in Italy we are surrounded by beauty.

What really makes a lifestyle brand strong in the world of interior design?
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Design and the ability to work on detail, today more than ever. And then authenticity, the ability to tell something unique, to last over time.

You've talked a lot about both heritage and savoir faire, which are two themes that often return to contemporary debate. Would you say that these two things define luxury in design?
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Yes, too. For me, luxury is above all something that remains. And the design remains when it is unique, made with sophisticated materials, and capable of telling a story.