10.06.20

2020/21 News: Romby chair by GamFratesi - interview

As one of the most authoritative and influential brands on the design scene, 95 years after its foundation Porro comes back inspiring once again with its special vision of the world. Step by step, constantly and consistently, the brand has been able to capture the attention of architects and public thanks to its unique viewpoint in the design of space – an ideal of beauty characterized by purity of shapes, attention to detail and utmost precision in workmanship, knowing that aesthetics is nothing without an extraordinary underlying quality. For the development of its 2020 collection, Porro combines once again its know-how with the creative energy of GamFratesi, in an exchange of cultures and insights that enriches the brand’s collections with a new classic design, at the crossroads of art, decoration and design.

“We have been working for this brand for many years and we appreciate very much the collaboration with the Porro family. This year we present a new upholstered chair with a swivel conical base, Romby. Our project started from of a very simple geometric figure, which is the rhombus, and the work here was actually to translate something which is two-dimensional as a drawing into something which is three-dimensional as a furniture. We have been working with modelling, 3d-drawings, but the very important part it was how to proceed the concept to have the original shape of the rhombus visible in the project. This is the concept of Romby, a dining chair which also looks very beautiful as a single piece in different spaces in the house.
The Romby chair is made with two different elements, which are in balance between each other: the seat, which is made from an injected mould and is upholstered with textile or leather and the base in solid wood. For us it was very important the geometric effect of these two parts together. 
Dining chairs must always respect certain dimensional standards, sense of general comfort. We think that the Romby chair because of its iconic and essential design actually succeeds to transmit a new aesthetic in the home, perfectly fitting into the universe of Porro which is always characterized by minimal lines and great craftmanship”.

Stine Gam, Enrico Fratesi, 2020


Geometric allure and retro look give the new Romby chair an abstract charm. The truncated conical base in natural or black stained ash solid wood, featuring a flared shape with segments obtained through an exquisite cabinet-making workmanship, is connected to a soft, compact, padded swivel seat, covered in the leathers of fabrics of Porro selection.

Perfect in a dining room or in a cosy working environment, Romby is a cocoon armchair with an impeccable size and workmanship, that embraces the body while leaving it free to move, surrounded by a feeling of great lightness.