Colucci & Colucci

Claudio & Fabio COLUCCI | Photography by Nicolas Schopfer

colucci & colucci

Two generations joining each other to look towards the future and drawing a new identity for their design studio: this is the vision of Claudio Colucci Design, which becomes Colucci & Colucci Design.

This year, Claudio Colucci named his son Fabio associate partner of the design studio he founded in 2000, now based in Geneva and represented in Tokyo and Beijing. A gesture of trust and confidence towards his son, who until then had managed the Genevan office, giving rise to a new identity: Colucci & Colucci Design.

Father and son combine their talents to carry out, hand in hand, the strategy that makes the fame and reputation of their agency: openness. Their work promotes three axes: furniture, industrial design and space architecture, through multiple means of expression and very different worlds. Switching from the creation of a cutlery service design for Christofle to the interior design of a Parisian hotel, or even from a collaboration with Ligne Roset, to the scenography of a luxury boutique, that’s what stimulates them, and demonstrates their limitless creativity. At the crossroads of two cultures, Asian and European, the Colucci style is characterized by clear and minimalist lines whose sobriety goes to the essential, but also by a touch of fantasy thanks to the dynamism and the powerful colors used in their creations. "A merger of styles whose equation is 1 + 1 = 3", as described by Claudio Colucci. This duo has the head in the stars, but their feet remain firmly anchored on earth.

Colucci & Colucci Design, is also about a human synergy around a team of about ten collaborators, close collaborations with local craftsmen and LabelGeneve, co-founded by Claudio, and well-known Genevan design schools such as IPAC Design and Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD), for ever more creative projects at the service of local and international brands.

photograph of Claudio Colucci
by Davolo Steiner

Flashback - Claudio

Nothing seems to hold high flying designer Claudio Colucci down.

Born in Locarno to an Austrian mother and an Italian father, he has made mixing and movement characteristics of his work. ‘Travel, the interaction of movement has made me a partner of the in-between, an author of transition from one thing to another, from one world to another’, he acknowledged between flights.

As soon as he qualified in graphic design at the School of Decorative Arts in Geneva, he went straight to Paris where he studied industrial design at ENSCI-Les Ateliers. He then completed his training with an exchange in Kingston Polytechnic. Several trips and meetings later, it was his love for Tokyo and his first collaboration with IDÉE that was decisive. From then on, he hasn’t ceased to have links in Switzerland, France and Japan.

The root of his work remains in a minimal, dynamic and colourful style, probably the outcome of his initial training in graphic design, where he tended towards a polymorphous and global design. It is a real style that vibrates with interacting influences. Today as a designer, scenographer, interior architect Claudio is an excellent all rounder.

Claudio Colucci is the co-founder of Radi-Designers and the co-author of work produced by this group since 1992. He became freelance at the beginning of the year 2000 in order to develop his activities in Tokyo and Paris.

The last award that he shared with Radi-Designers was the Creator of the Year, presented at the Paris furniture fair on 13th January 2000.

Fabio Colucci photographed by Marc Ninghetto

Flashback - Fabio

Space has always fascinated Fabio Colucci -the infinity of the universe just above our heads and the vertigo it induces. As a child he wanted to be an astronaut and today harbors a twinge of regret for not becoming one, until he brings up his other passion: cartoons – the pinnacle of the world of imagination.

As a teenager, Fabio Colucci, who was already good at drawing, set his sights on architecture. He wants to design the world around us, positioned under the stars. Once he got his diploma he set out to find the best path. The same year he took both the Ecal and HEAD professional exams and passed both. “I had the luxury of being able to decide,” says the son of the famed designer Claudio Colucci. The apple didn't fall far from the tree.

He chose HEAD in Geneva, a city he loves and where he fully enjoys the quality of life, and he chose interior design, allying technicality and creativity. “I loved my years in school, studying and working crazy hours. We were all a family.” The memories come flooding back – a presentation at the Milan Furniture Fair, a workshop with the iconic Matali Crasset, moments of exchange and sharing, sleepless nights, the Teo Jakob prize with special mention…

Search for meaning

With his Bachelor's in hand, Fabio went straight to the Paris office of Colucci Design for several months, working at every level in the company. The Fukushima disaster in 2011 gave him a reason to leave for Japan, then back to Geneva for an internship with Strata Architecture. His father then asked him to take over the Geneva office, where he accepted to give “a helping hand.”

Once on the job, the only one in the office, he discovered the true life of a professional designer, not what's in the schoolbooks. The late nights, disrespect and acrimony. The projects he must defend, clients to convince and the office to run. "In the beginning I was the designer, artist, project manager, accountant..." He created the Hermès shop windows throughout Switzerland, a limited edition Caran d'Ache pen and even designed the architectural identity of TPG Architecture in collaboration with Strata.

He loves all aspects of interior design business even if he has a preference for the early creative research phases. His passion drives him to teaching. A discovery, an opportunity. "I teach real life. Those things that nobody taught me," he says without hiding his joy.

What does he expect of his students? That they always go above and beyond what's expected of them, without forgetting to tell the story behind the project. The search for meaning is primordial.

 

Label Genève | JEMA 2018 Claudio presenting his work during the JEMA 2018

Knowledge

Claudio enjoys transmitting his knowledge and has been a product & interior design teacher at the HEAD Geneva, from 2015 to 2018. Fabio also caught the teaching virus, but specialized in Interior Design. He is in charge of the Interior Design department at IPAC Design Geneva since 2015.

Education is very important to Claudio and Fabio. They both enjoy sharing their passion to others and help people acknowledge their talent, but they most of all love when they are able to imply their students into real projects. Their workshops offer the opportunity to uncover the limitless creativity of a freshman, along with the experience of an agency.

SWITCH. OSAKA, 1995.
IN COLLABORATION WITH RADI DESIGNERS.

Background

1988
CC - Diploma in graphic design from the School of Decorative Arts in Geneva.

1992
CC - Diploma from ENSCI-Les Ateliers in Paris.
CC - Exchange program at Kingston Polytechnic in London.
CC - Internship at Branson Coates and Ron Arad in London.
CC - Works with Pascal Mourgue in Paris.

1994
CC - Co-founder of Radi Designers in Paris.

1996
CC - Works at Thomson Multimédia under the direction of Philippe Starck in Paris.1997
CC - Collaboration with the design company Idée in Tokyo.

 1998
CC - Collaboration on a project for Seven/Eleven with Philippe Starck in Japan.
CC - Creation of the Radi Designers office in Tokyo.

2000
CC - Creation of the Claudio Colucci Design agency in Tokyo and a studio in Paris.

2010
CC - Creation of the Claudio Colucci Design agency in Geneva.

2011
CC - Creation of the Claudio Colucci Design representative agency in Beijing.
FC -  Diploma from the Geneva School of Art and Design and award from Teo Jakob’s prize with mention

2012
CC - Creation of the Claudio Colucci Design agency in Shanghai.
FC - Manages the Claudio Colucci Design agency in Geneva 

2015
CC - Comes back to settle in Geneva.
FC - Appointed Dean of Interior Design at IPAC Design Geneva
Change of structure : the Geneva office becomes the main agency and the international agencies become representative offices

2018
FC - Promoted Associated Director
Claudio Colucci Design becomes Colucci & Colucci Design

Expresso. Coffee cup. Axis France, 1994.

History

A destiny inspired by a family saga, which is perpetuated by the drawing of their DNA. Everything started by Claudio Colucci: to be nourished by different cultures while staying true to one’s own story: an italian father, an austrian mother, a childhood in Ticino, Paris, and London… a pendulum swing to propel oneself forward, with one eye on the rear-view mirror.

To push back limits, draw inspiration from the enigmatic and the mysterious… Claudio solicits the 5 senses to celebrate the human condition in its most noble and exhilarating form, “Design is an art of life… for me, the aesthetics of body language, of movement, are as important as the aesthetics of plastic arts. I create a poetic, offbeat, though always functional interaction between the person and the object."

The Dome, Claudio's office studio in Tokyo
from 1996 to 1998.

Claudio Colucci, an internationally renowned interior and product designer, a true artist who never stops exploring and dreaming. Claudio Colucci’ s creation and design have been appreciated by many and used by famous international brands, such as Hermès, Agnès B, Christofle, Ligne Roset and more.

Nomad, design agitator, the artist cannot stay put. Geneva, Paris, Tokyo, and lastly Shanghai and Beijing, all over his name shows up like a luxury brand. At each stage of this pursuit of his personal Grail, like the patriarch of a nomadic tribe roaming the planet in pursuit of his quest.

The origin of his work is embodied by a refined, dynamic and colorful line, vibrant with mixed influences. As with the mirror effect of a glitter ball, his design draws from a thousand and one references and reflects the illusion of anamorphosis and visual remixes.

This is how he became the scriptwriter for stories of a sensitive world in which a part of childhood and magic is never far away. He is a renaissance man of the 21st century with a predilection for quantum mechanics; morphing in time and space is at the heart of Colucci’s work.

Lov-Star. Sculpture Project. 2010.

Philosophy

« Our style is a mixture of mischief, humour, color and sensuality. In our mind, what characterises our work, are the stories that are at the origin of each one of our projects. That is the secret of our approach. » confides Claudio and Fabio Colucci. For more than ten years the, studio, firstly know as Claudio Colucci Design, has led the world of design, fashion and food, luxury products and large industrial groups.

Claudio and Fabio are the creators of supple and sensual lines, of shimmering and festive environments, of gentle and indulgent textures. Their position between Geneva, Tokyo and Beijing allows interactions and is a real source of inspiration. An observatory of the avant garde, that equally gives them the necessary distance for their own creations. Their are the author of a world where childhood and magic are never very far away.

What is less known about them is that they design everything and prescribe nothing. They follow up production to ensure quality, aim for originality, authenticity and the exceptional, to the limits of craftsmanship. Close to the problematic of their clients, they synthesize their brief and lead them towards a qualitative flamboyant contemporary design.

« In our research, objects appear through forms that could be humorous, sensual and full of mystery. These objects sometimes disturb the user as their function is distanced form their form. Our designs may seem unusual but they always remain perfectly adapted to the needs of our clients. »

You Are Fabulous. Sketches, Paris, 2009.

The Designers

Claudio and Fabio Colucci are never apart from their sketch books and their computers in their Geneva offices, that connects them permanently to their agencies in Tokyo and Beijing. Mixing of traditional know-how and new technologies: an idea sketched on a small piece of paper is redrawn on a computer.

Once the 3D approved, it will be confronted to the expertise of every required skills, from the specialist craftsman to the search for high-tech materials. In terms of design, Claudio and Fabio arr responsible for all the stages of a project as the concept, the technical drawings and the quality follow-up.

In their creative and reactive team, everyone is qualified and has studied in an important school of design, or architecture, and have in common an international experience. The team is, at the same time, both close-knit and autonomous, always knowing how to adhere to Claudio and Fabio's approach.

Each collaborater has his own personal asset and is responsible to develop the concepts initiated by Claudio. Working on graphic design projects, packaging, product and furniture design, interior architecture, scenography, architecture and limited editions, a dialogue is nourished between the teams, which give rise to exchanges and residences.

Depending on the relevance and scale of the project, the team can also benefit from the studio’s network of producers and craftsmen. The CCD team has it’s own bridge between their offices that they can easily cross and it’s a great advantage for our clients. We offer them an experimental design laboratory, that is uniquely full of life, exchange and movement.

Claudio Colucci

CEO & Creative Director

Geneva

Fabio Colucci

Designer & Associated Director

Geneva

Clients

Clients

Editions

ACOVA, France
AGENCE TERRES NUAGES, France
ANESIS, Japan
ARDI, France
L'ARPEGE, Alain Passrat, France
AXIS, France
BACCARAT, consultation, France
CARAN D'ACHE, consultation, Switzerland
CHIVAS SWISS, Switzerland
CLAUDIO COLUCCI DESIGN, limited edition
CLEAR GALLERY, Japan
CHEVALIER EDITION, carpet, France
CHRISTOFLE, France
ELECOM, consultation, Japan
FRESCA, Cosmetic, Japan
FUMI Gallery, England
GALERIE MITTERAND-CRAMER, Switzerland
GALERIE MOUVEMENTS MODERNES, France
GALERIE SENTOU, France
HABITAT, International
HERMÈS, perfume consultation, France
Heiyando Yamada, bags and goods, Japan
Heiyando Yamada + L'ALLIANCE, St-Valentines gift, Japan
IDÉE, Japan
INAX, Japan
ISSEY MIYAKE, packaging consultation, France
KENWOOD DESIGN, speaker, Japan
LESAGE, France
LIGNE ROSET, Mini Dada
LU, packaging, consultation, France
MARNA, Japan
MIN MIN GALLERY, Japan
MOËT & CHANDON, consultation, France
MÔVENPICK, France
NOW carpet, Spain
NEOLOGY, furniture, France
PERNOD SUZE, France
RUNTAL, Italia
SEGA, Joy police station, Japan
SHARP, consultation, Japan
SUZI WAN, France
SWAROVSKI, Japan
TARKET SOMMER, France
TIME & STYLE, Japan

Architecture

AGNÈS B, Japan
BASSETT WALKER, consultation, Japan
CFF–CEVA, consultation for 5 rail station, Switzerland
JNC, private house, France
HOLLYWOOD HOUSE, consultation, USA

Graphic

EXCELSIOR CAFFE, logo and brand identity
GLAMOUR SALES, logo and web design
ETIENNE BOTANICS, logo, brand identity and packaging
POURJOURS, logo, package and chocolate

Products

CARAN D'ACHE, Switzerland
CHEVALIER EDITION, France
CHRISTOFLE, France
FRESCA, Japan
FUJI KOWA, Japan
GRUYERE AOP, Switzerland
HABITAT, United Kingdom
IDEE, Japan
INAX, Japan
KENWOOD, Japan
KOKUYO, Japan
L'ARPEGE, France
LA TETE AU CUBE, France
LEMNOS, Japan
LIGNE ROSET, France
MARNA, Japan
MC DONALD'S, France
MOVENPICK, Switzerland
NEOLOGY, France
NOW CARPETS, Spain
NEW WIND, France
RUNTAL, France
SENTOU, France
SHIRAISHI, Japan
SUZE, Switzerland
TERRES NUAGES, France
TOSHIBA, Japan
TSARINE, France
TRUNK, Japan
YAMADA HEIANDO, Japan

Scenography

BHV, France
CARAN D'ACHE, German
ECOLE EDEN, stand, Switzerland
ELLE DÉCO AWARD, Japan
H.A. DEUX, Japan
JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER, consultation, France
HERMÈS, Japan, Switzerland, France
LASER LAFAYETTE SERVICE - GALERIE LAFAYETTE
MOËT & CHANDON, consultation, France
PIRELLI, International
PREMIERE CLASSE, consultation, France
RENAULT, Switzerland
SEIBU, Japan
VIA, France
TOKYU PLAZA, Japan
DENTSU, Japan
HAKUHODO, Japan
KYOTO GRAPHIE, Japan
ONITSUKA TIGER, Japan

Interior Architecture

ACCORD - NOVOTEL/SOFITEL, hotel, France
A-NET, shop, Japan
ANDO GALLERY, gallery, Japan
ARMANI, cosmetic shop, consultation, France
AZONE+ASSOCIATES, office, Japan
BELLE, select shop, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan
BHV, restaurant & terrace, consultation, France
BIOTHERM, cosmetic shop, consultation, France
Bluebell, shop, Japan
CABANE DE ZUCCA, shop, Japan, China, France
CFF – CEVA, rail station, Switzerland
CHIKA, bar, Japan
COCOON, shop, Japan
DÉLICABAR, bar, France
DOUTOR, bar, Japan
ECOLE INTERNATIONALE, school, Switzerland
EVIAN, bar, consultation, France
EXCELSIOR CAFFE, bar, Japan
FASHION SUGA, shop, Japan
FLEURS & ELEGANCE, shop, Switzerland
FITS PRO, school, Switzerland
FOR DAYS, shop, office, Japan
FRÉDÉRIC SCAILTEUR, pastry shop, Japan
FREE'S, restaurant + fashion shop, Japan
FURLA, flagship shop, consultation, Japan
GALERIE MIN MIN, gallery, Japan
GRAND SWELL, office, Japan
GROUPE ACCORD, Novotel, France
HILL'S, select shop, Japan
ICONA VERA, shop, France
INSTITUT FRANCO JAPONAIS, office, Japan
IPAC FRANCE, school, France
IPAC DESIGN GENEVA, school, Switzerland
JAYRO WHITE, shop, Japan
KEITA MARUYAMA, shop, consultation, Japan
KOSE, cosmetic shop, consultation, Japan
LAFUMA, shop, Japan, China
LAWSON, shop, consultation, Japan
LE SALON, select shop, Japan
LOEWE, shop, consultation, Spain
LUMEN, hotel, France
M3 REAL ESTATE, hotel, Switzerland
MARY QUANT, shop, Japan
MAVERTEAM, shop, Japan
MITSUI MANSION, hotel, Japan
MOPH CAFÉ, bar, Japan
MORI BUILDING, office, Japan
MYBERRY, Frozen yoghurt bar, France
NDC JAPAN, shop, Japan
NTT DOCOMO, shop, consultation, Japan
OXBOW, flagship shop, consultation, France
PASSAGE ST ROCH, restaurant, France
PAUL & JOE, shop, France, Monaco, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Japan
POURJOURS, shop, Japan
PRINCESS TAMTAM, shop, consultation, France
ROLL MADU, restaurants, Japan
ROOM-Y, restaurant, Japan
RYOWA LIFE CREATES, apartments, Japan
SHU ! bar, Japan
SOGERES, restaurant, consultation, France
TOYOTA, show room, consultation, France
TORIMARU-IMAIYA, restaurant, Japan
TRANSPORTS PUBLICS FRIBOURGEOIS, office, Switzerland
TRANSPORTS PUBLICS GENEVOIS, office, shop, Switzerland
TRAP/U, shop, Japan
PHILOSOPHER, shop, Japan
UGC, cinema complex, consultation, France
UNTITLED, shop, Japan
VIENS-VIENS, nail shop, Japan
VIRGIN, consultation, France
WATOSA, cosmetic shop, Japan
YU-SHIN, shop, Japan
YVES SAINT-LAURENT, flagship shop, consultation, France