Design District: Diego Gabasio Marketing & Communication Manager Fir Italia

D IEGO GABAS IO

MARKET ING & COMMUN ICAT ION MANAGER FIR ITALIA

by Marta Bernasconi

What are the current trends in luxury bathroom and kitchen fittings? There is a growing trend towards product customisation in the luxury sector, both in functional terms and, most of all, finishes. Of late we have also been seeing a greater focus on sustainability – people are looking for water-saving products made from low impact, non-toxic materials. Does being Made in Italy bring added value to your products internationally? Yes, particularly when you take the top end of the market into consideration. However, Made in Italy doesn’t carry quite as much weight in the bathroom and kitchen fittings sector as in the likes of furniture and fashion. Tell us about the latest products you have presented... “The Outfit” is a wide range of stunning luxe finishes that are also very durable. They have different characteristics inspired by nature, architecture, interior design and fashion: black and white, greys, brushed, metallic and gold finishes. Each one has its own unique, distinctive ingredients: something that means we can also provide custom solutions. When it comes to materials and finishes, what makes Fir Italia stand out from the crowd? A huge focus on choosing green materials: all of our range is transitioning to lead-free production with taps, fittings and components in lead-free steel or brass (maximum permitted content: 0.2%), which complies with the strictest drinking water regulations. The Outfit finishes are made using the leading-edge Advanced Superfinish Process or ASP. This guarantees a superb aesthetic result as is sophisticated surface treatments give the metals unique colours and reflective qualities. The matt finishes are also fingerprint-proof while the polished and mirrored are highly resistant to fingerprints. These finishes are also extremely long-lasting. How do your products perform? Which products do you already have on yachts? The Stainless Steel Collection, which is made from AISI316L stainless, a revolutionary new bathroom concept. Fir Italia chose that particular steel because it is the toughest in terms of corrosion resistance and durability. It is also very eco-friendly as it is 100% recyclable. It is extremely easy to clean too and hygienic. Lastly, it has the high level of resistance to atmospheric agents and saltwater that you need aboard. The New Playone 90 collection is just out but because of Covid-19, we haven’t had the chance to install it aboard yet. However, we have supplied products for luxury yachts and boats in the past. For instance, we fitted the Playone 85 Feng Shui taps and fittings aboard one of the latest Southern Wind Shipyard craft, the 100’ Mrs Seven. Our towel warmers, which are modern in style with boxy lines, are aboard the Soraya 70 by Bobic Yacht Interior. For M/Y My Lady Rose, we went for the retro Melrose collection and accessories with a polished gold finish.

FIR ITALIA The company has been active in the designer domestic and professional kitchen and bathroom taps and fittings sectors for over 60 year. The brand offers complete collections to its clients, all centred around the concept of bringing an emotional and ideal dimension to living spaces