fabulous

BY TERRI PROVENCAL

Since 2016, Belgian polymath Vincent Van Duysen has continued to bring his architecture, interiors, and product design prowess to Italian luxury as the creative director of Molteni&C and Dada. Designing three collections to choose from, Van Duysen reimagined the esteemed brand’s indoor collection for outdoor living spaces through original designs by select Molteni&C partners.

Luca Meda’s classic Palinfrasca Sofa of the ’70s, for example, was reissued in solid teak and recycled waterproof polyester fiber upholstery for the Landmark Collection. Van Duysen’s Timeout Collection takes its graceful form-follows-function cue from modernist architecture. Fans of Gio Ponti’s midcentury D.154.2 armchair are in luck with an al fresco reissue of the curvaceous wraparound for the Heritage Collection. Seeking sun- or shade-soaked relaxation? Ponti’s handsome D.150.5 solid wood chaise longue, designed for the cruise ship Andrea Doria in 1952, is just as at home poolside.

For distinctive outdoor spaces, interior designers look to Molteni&C’s fine Italian craftsmanship, according to Ramon Longoria, the director of the Dallas flagship showroom. “Our clients come to us for sumptuous clean-lined furnishings that will stay relevant over time and age gracefully.”

New rugs by Van Duysen, Nicola Gallizia, and Marta Ferri, who also curated an outdoor textile collection, consummate picture-perfect en plein air. “Designers often work for families and couples with more than one residence, and while they want to maintain that elevated consistency and signature style, they look to add a unique element here and there,” says Longoria. Foster + Partners’ Arc table in a cement finish and Ron Gilad’s Panna Cotta coffee table in two sizes offer two excellent options. P