We have divided the speech Elio Fiorucci gave at the Stefano Forni gallery during the opening of the Grand Design Tour into 3 parts. This is the first extract.

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Fiorucci underlines the key role of ceramics in contemporary design as well as the forsaking, by many architects, of the limited “functional” rationale of ceramic tiles: today ceramic is the perfect material for decoration thanks to its resistance and, at the same time, its strong aesthetic potential.

Finally, we can start showing the videos taken last week during The Grand Design Tour. The quantity of interesting “footage” is huge, more than we expected, so we decided to take a couple of days more to decide how best to use all the clips.

Today, we present a short trailer showing some snapshots of the opening event, which took place on Wednesday, October 3. Laura Villani and Elio Fiorucci guided us throughout the entire itinerary of the exhibition, commenting on the prototypes of the famous artists and designers who collaborate with us. We hope we managed to capture the magic atmosphere of the evening, of the portico of Bologna at sunset and of the intense emotion, which rose to a crescendo as the tour moved from one interesting art gallery to another.

Following the opening of Cersaie yesterday, today it is the turn of the DesignTaleStudio’s Autumn 2007 “fuori salone” event. Today, at 6 p.m., at ICF Trading, 7/B Via Santo Stefano in Bologna will see the start of The Grand Design Tour, the “en-route” exhibition of the Prototypes d’Autore designed by Karim Rashid, Michele De Lucchi, Elio Fiorucci, Peter Halley and many other important artists and designers for DTS.

Fashion-designer Elio Fiorucci will be the guest of honour at today’s inauguration. He, together with the organizer of the event Laura Villani, will guide our tour through six of the most important art galleries of Bologna, on the quest for design and creativity. Trimarchi Arte Moderna, GAM, Otto Gallery, Galleria Forni, Galleria Ariete and Galleria Stefano Forni: these are the legs of the Grand Design Tour.

See you tomorrow with the video and interviews on the event that will surely be must for every art and design fan.

This morning saw the opening of Cersaie 2007, the most important international trade-fair for ceramics and sanitary-ware. As we revealed in our previous posts, on the occasion of Cersaie, DesignTaleStudio launches a brand-new series of products targeting residential and public design spaces.

The wait is therefore over. We can finally take the veil off the Tagli d’Autore, 30×120 cm ceramic slabs with a refined and welcoming style, the perfect choice to enliven modern and minimalist porcelain stoneware claddings. There are three basic design themes that make up the collection textures:

• a series of three-dimensional bright lines in the colour of gold and platinum for the TDA1, that you can also see in the above photo of the stand;
• a free criss-cross of colour “flashes” all in different colours for the TDA2 and the TDA3
• a lily pattern with a hint of both modern and traditional, black on white (TDA4) and white on black (TDA5). And it is the lily that has inspired the new graphic theme of the blog that debuted this morning.

We will go into greater depth and discover the Tagli d’Autore in the next few days. In the meantime, come and visit our stand (Pav. 36, Stand C42 - watch some photos here), perhaps on Wednesday, October 3, so together we can go into the heart of Bologna for the inauguration of the Grand Design Tour.

We are at the threshold of Cersaie 2007, the most important ceramic and sanitary ware trade-fair in the world.

The DesignTaleStudio space (Pav. 36 - Stand C42), just behind that of our parent company, Refin (Pav. 36 - Stand B32), will focus on a completely new product collection, the “Tagli d’Autore”. New because of its size, look and destination of use, but still, manufactured using techniques of a craftsman and with a tendency geared towards the experimentation of new ceramic art languages. For the moment, you have to be content with just knowing the name of the collection as well as this sneak preview of the pages dedicated to the collection in the new catalogue: come back tomorrow morning on the blog and you will know (and see) everything.

As you already know, during the Cersaie week, DesignTaleStudio will also be present outside the fair, at the most important art galleries in the heart of Bologna, with The Grand Design Tour traveling exhibition organized by architect Laura Villani. Today, at 11.30 a.m. at the Palazzo Segni Masetti, the inaugural press conference will take place: if you wish to take part to the invitation only opening event on October 3 along with fashion-designer Elio Fiorucci, there is still time for you to fill in the form in the Contribute section.

Last Friday the traditional pre-Cersaie meeting, which saw the participation of the entire sales force, took place. It was the perfect occasion to go over the company’s current position, to recap the marketing and communication strategies and, above all, to give the agents a preview of all the new products that will be launched during the trade-fair.

There was great excitement about Refin’s and DesignTaleStudio’s new products. Introduced as the equivalent of Ferrari for Fiat, DesignTaleStudio is confirming its role of fore-runner and innovator, also according to our sales force on the field, and is acting as the ideal foil for some cutting-edge projects, specifically in the bar and restaurant sector. Thanks to its new product ranges always on the quest for large size formats and aesthetic innovation, DesignTaleStudio ceramics also address the residential architecture featuring, without compromise, a modern and refined design.

Another hot topic discussed during the meeting was that of the “Made in Italy” identity. Refin and DesignTaleStudio will continue to be “100% Made In Italy”, therefore a long-term guarantee of quality and reliability. And, again, according to our sales staff, in such cases, the market seems to appreciate our decision.

We will have the opportunity to go into greater depth on these topics in subsequent posts; as for our new products…come and visit us at our stand at Cersaie in Pavillon 36 (B32 C 37) and you will see!

Once again, on the occasion of the forthcoming Cersaie, DesignTaleStudio has programmed an event in which ceramic, art and design blend in a mutual creative language. A travelling “fuorisalone” during which some of the most important art galleries in Bologna will showcase the slabs designed by Elio Fiorucci, Karim Rashid, Michele De Lucchi, Peter Halley, Lucio Dalla and Sandra Bermudez for DesignTaleStudio: a great tour in the heart of the city on the quest for design. In essence, the “Grand Design Tour”.

Six galleries are involved in the event: Otto Gallery, Galleria d’Arte Maggiore G.A.M, Trimarchi Arte Moderna, Galleria Forni, L’Ariete Artecontemporanea, Galleria Stefano Forni. “Director” of the event, as last Spring for Design On Stage, is the architect Laura Villani; the initiative is supported by Ascom and the Associazione Gallerie, Bologna. The grand opening will take place at 3, Piazza Maggiore, on October 3, 2007 at 5,30 p.m. with a special surprise guest.

We on the blog will play our part in the event by letting you know in advance about the details of the initiatives, the art galleries and letting you in on some sneak previews; of course, we will be “in tour” too, ready with microphone and camera to capture the crucial moments of this three-day event, which already is promising to be really unique. Meanwhile, if you wish to receive an invitation and to have a front row seat, you can do so, as usual, in the Contribute section.

The Grand Design Tour is waiting to take you away… come on, climb aboard.

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The bathroom as a setting – as the mainstay of today’s modern homes: a space where to unwind, relax and give way to personal creativity. How to personalise a bathroom in a truly unique way? And be set free from the rationale of the everyday ceramic wall claddings? And… what has DesignTaleStudio got to do with this?
In a Milan tinged with Design, DesignTaleStudio and Ceramiche Flaminia launch their own provoking creation, their proposal for bathroom ambience. This new space comes to life with the cooperation of Flamina: a space where the Pareti d’Autore RMD create a prismatic almost “cocooning” effect thanks to a clever use of the lights. Even the bathroom flooring and fitting coverings are carried out in large sized porcelain stoneware.

You can see this creation at the Flaminia Showroom in Milan, 18, Via Solferino. For more in-depth details and photographs, click on the link to the Flaminia Showroom sheet in the “Projects” section.