a Hollywood set that depicts a studio scene and not find a “Tolomeo” or a “Tizio” on the desk. That’s because the “Tolomeo”, the “Tizio”, and many other similar lamps are not mere objects, but archetypes. And are also among
the most copied ones. “We show man the correct way to solve problems. We are copied and imitated, that’s true, but I am proud of it. Besides, our customers are
loyal, at most they betray us on the second house’s decoration. But in their living room, in their studio, on top of the dining table or in the bed room, if they
can choose they choose us”. Ernesto Gismondi, one of our most important design
creators, father and founder of Artemide, the world leader luxury lighting company, does not hide a certain concern: “I take note of the fact that there are some countries that can produce specific objects at an inferior cost. The only possible defense is to advance the products technologically and culturally so they cannot be reproduced. Obviously the sophisticated product is more expensive, cannot be imitated, but certainly has a price difficult to discount on the market”. Advantages and disadvantages of globalization: “We must go further, renovate continuously, improve products, quality, distribution, sales network: defend yourself first and later charge to the attack, this is the only possible road which we can travel on”. For the time being, Artemide is one of the few large Italian companies that has not diversified its investments.

This turned out to be its strong point: ”We invested solely on design, without purchasing electrical plants or banks. We want to become the strongest possible in our world”.He is confident of the future, optimist, because, as he tells us,
the “Made in Italy” has distant origins: “Italian creativity is daughter to our history. A long, very long history that has developed thanks to the work of our goldsmiths, our architects, our artists. Above all is daughter to the Renaissance,
to a way of feeling and to a culture that cannot be invented or improvised. If a product is typically Italian it means that it epitomizes all of this long and glorious legacy”.

As a matter of fact, the “Made in Italy” branded Artemide knows no
boundaries: “Our strength is made up by our trademark, consolidated in the main international markets from the United States to Japan, and by its values, such as the ability to “make” design and, as already mentioned, by high technological capacity. Artemide is now turning its attention to eastern European markets where we are already in operation with Artemide Russia, whose headquarters are in Moscow. We also have an Artemide company in Hong Kong
through which we handle penetration in all countries of south-east Asia. We are also coming in strong in Japan, specially in Tokyo, where we are planning the opening of a true Artemide flagship store”. Born in Sanremo, class 1931, married with three children and an uncontrolled passion for sailing, aeronautics and
rocket engineer, he soon discovers a true passion for design.

He talks of his idea of founding Artemide in 1959 with Sergio Mazza as one would narrate the beginning of a lovestory. “It was a real seduction, an uncontainable call, I realized that producing lamps on the forefront of forms and technology would have been my path, my future and my work.”
He has not stopped since. Talking about Artemide means talking about light, and not simply of vision or of the lamp as an object, but of a physical pleasure and a psychic wellbeing. Light as a value, then, or as they have defined it The Human Light, that is, a way to study the correct light to connect with people, accompanying them through daily activities.

Lamps for domestic relaxing moments, but also for large and sophisticated installations lighting professional activities, public and private. In glass, plastic, titanium, in a mixture of innovation and tradition. Luxury lamps? “I would say that the luxury we want is to create products that belong to a world, sophisticated enough, slightly playful, that can meet the needs of a good quality of life. In summary, a product that provides satisfaction, including of an aesthetic nature. But that’s not all, it must also be eco-compatible, recyclable, ethical in the sense that is not originated by any kind of exploitation”.

Luxury and ethics, then, at the service of comfort: “Design simply means planning, and we allow ourselves to add ‘planning for man’, we want to design for man’s wellbeing, this is the only thing very clear in our minds. In other words, it is very easy to manufacture lighting equipment, lighting machines, but it is much more difficult to leave man satisfied. But man’s wellbeing must be not only at home but also when he works at the office, when he finds himself in the harshest conditions, that’s where we are mainly concerned that man’s wellbeing is effectively accomplished”. According to Gismondi the company itself is an asset. He loves repeating: “That beautiful company I have created and have not managed to ruin”. All with the help of designers, architects, artists, people like Richard Sapper, Enzo Mari, Vico Magistretti, Aldo Rossi, Michele de Lucchi, Norman Foster and many, many more ...