Twiggy: a model of modularity from Minotti

The fast pace of modern life keeps throwing demands at designers – evolutions in technology, science and social dynamics, all have an effect on how people live, and consequently, how they use, move around and experience their interior spaces. Today, a single living space must always be open to shifting possibilities – from hour to hour as diverse lifestyles overlap, and from year to year as lifestyles evolve.

When it comes to choosing a seating system to anticipate this pace, the Twiggy family of seats from Italian design brand Minotti serves flawlessly. Its bold form holds its own as a singular statement, yet its easy modularity means it is always ready for evolution. Its rhythmic, elegant design makes it timelessly modern and its soft upholstery is engineered for total comfort. In summary, Twiggy is a flexible and practical design icon for contemporary interior living spaces.

Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni, long-time Minotti art director, Twiggy takes its name from the homonymous ‘rebel icon’: the era-defining British model from the 1960s. Born as a precocious single, bold armchair (available in three versions – small, large and deep, and with or without armrests) – which demanded attention, sculpted space and oozed elegance, Twiggy now offers a dynamic modular system. Every detail, from its aluminium base to its chequered embellished stitching, evokes Minotti’s absolute technical know-how and its sophisticated sartorial approach. 

Launched in 2022, Twiggy is a complete family of seats that includes armchairs, couches, a chaise-longue and three benches. The new expanded proposal offers total flexibility for unlimited configurations composed with freedom, without the limits of pre-configured schemes and all in response to the demands of shifting modern lifestyle trends. For example, an armchair and chaise-longue can exist together, or apart with just as much comfort and elegance.

As seen in the new creative campaign from Minotti for 2023, Twiggy is poised for infinite scaling in terms of the different spaces and lifestyle scenarios it can inhabit, and appropriate in both residential and hospitality contexts. It sets a modern and timeless atmosphere in a contemporary apartment setting – prepared for smoothly transitioning from a solitary mid-week evening to a social weekend with friends. It also excels in a sprawling contemporary villa, offering a social environment for both family gatherings and elegant events.

Twiggy’s formal geometry and chequered quilting both contribute to its ability to sculpt space. It performs as a secondary architecture that is flexible and responsive to living. The architectural forms ‘cut’ and ‘shape’ space to open up social potential. A corner module provides an anchor for an alcove where an individual might retreat to reflect, while a combination of modules becomes an anchoring island for an open-plan interior.

It’s important, though, to know that this iconic and sculptural presence goes hand-in-hand with Twiggy’s comfortable embrace. Though geometric, each seat element is also softly enveloping – covered in leather, nubuck or fabric and textured with the embellishment of refined stitching. Available with a Black Coffee-coloured polished varnish or with a brushed, semi-polished finish, the aluminium base brings out natural nuances of craft, tactility and individuality.

Rigorous yet hospitable, Twiggy is a rebel icon that is now conquering progressive contemporary scenarios with more flexibility and added comfort, though its founding spirit and elegance endure. This is just one example of how Minotti is committed to retaining the essential spirit of Italian design, while simultaneously responding to the evolution of our lifestyles today.

© Architonic

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