PARIS — Rubelli is more modern than ever.
Unveiled during the Paris Déco Off and Maison&Objet in The City calendars that ran Jan. 15 to Jan. 20, the family-run Venetian textile maker known for its hand-loomed soprarizzo, or chiseled, silk velvet, showcased its second collection under the fresh creative leadership of the Formafantasma design studio.
Named “Teorema,” the 2025 array builds on its 2024 debut “Garden” collection that imbued the worlds of decor, fashion, art and photography. Teorema, which in English means theorem, also evokes the Pythagorean theorem of Euclidean geometry — angular shapes are very much at the heart of this new collection.
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“It’s a very eclectic collection and I think that’s what it should be,” Formafantasma’s cofounder and codirector Simone Farresin told WWD at Rubelli’s monobrand flagship showroom on Paris’ Rue de l’Abbaye. There, he and codirector Andrea Trimarchi also created a scenographic space reflecting the house’s new contemporary vision with totems to display fabrics in different colors like Naples yellow and combos of unexpected motifs like florals together with geometric patterns.
The Milan and Rotterdam, Netherlands-based design studio has worked with design and fashion brands like Flos, Bitossi and fashion and jewelry brands like Max Mara and Bulgari.
In March 2023, the same year Rubelli tapped Formafantasma as its creative director, the duo also conceived the sophomore edition of Prada Frames, a symposium backed by the Italian luxury brand to explore the complex relationship between the natural environment and design.
“We also learned a little more in the second year with Rubelli… because Rubelli offers the possibility of implementing different styles within its collection and of integrating ideas in a more informal way and I think this will be something that we need to continue to do,” Farresin added.
With the dawn of this new collection, Rubelli said it’s now poised to better meet the demands of the high-end contract and residential markets in its key geographic markets like the U.S..
Formafantamsa drew inspiration from artists and movements such as futurism and minimalism. Zigzag, an abstract embroidery that reinterprets traditional workmanship techniques with thick cotton strings — on which a shiny viscose yarn was superimposed and embroidered in segments — creates two lines that intersect each other on a plain background, a shiny Pima cotton satin.
The work of early 20th century artist Fortunato Depero was translated into a jacquard velvet, incorporated with fleece made with two different types of viscose to create a three-dimensional effect.
The Martora is a flame-resistant plain velvet that was originally launched in 2013 and now guarantees even more resistance and performance.
“Thanks to the contribution of the Formafantasma studio, the relentless research efforts of our design office, and the advantage of owning our own weaving mill — we are able to further diversify our offerings,” said chief executive officer Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli. “The latest collection, Teorema, moves precisely in this direction, offering the world of interior design fresh aesthetic inspiration and fabrics that materially combine elegance and high performance.”
The Rubelli showroom, which is located in the design district of Saint Germain, first opened in 1976. The two-story space spans more than 3,000 square feet.
Rubelli was founded in 1889. Its home division was launched in 2015, and has built a rapport with Italian designers over the decades. The late Gio Ponti designed the house’s Punteggiato velvet, which remains a successful component of its fabric lineup. In more recent years, the house has worked with the likes of interior designer Marco Piva, architectural designer Cristina Celestino, photographer Brigitte Niedermair, and American architect Peter Marino. The latter created three-silk damask fabrics in 2019 that echoed the work of 16th century painter Titian.