Roberto Minotti on Design, Legacy, and the Next Chapter

Roberto Minotti carries forward the legacy of the family brand being part of the second generation of leadership, which continues to lead the company together with the third generation. As co-CEO of Minotti S.p.A. alongside his brother Renato, he steers the company’s global growth and design management.

The 60-year-old architect is responsible for overseeing the management of Minotti Studio, the R&D department dedicated to interior decoration, graphic design, product engineering, and communications. Guided by what he calls “the pursuit of timeless design, balancing innovation and craftsmanship,” Roberto Minotti believes design should transcend passing trends, merging functionality with aesthetics to create products that resonate across generations of discerning, design-conscious consumers.

Craftsmanship and technological research seem to play equal roles in Minotti’s 2025 collection. How does Minotti integrate tradition with innovation in materiality and production techniques?

Our production philosophy is based on a virtuous balance between craftmanship and advanced technology. While we cater to an international and increasingly demanding audience, we remain faithful to a tailor-made approach, attentive to detail and quality. We strive to cultivate the tradition of Italian know-how, with a constant eye on research and innovation, without sacrificing the advantages of industrialisation, but keeping the human and artisanal value of work intact. 

What materials or finishes do you predict will dominate in high-end furniture?

Minotti’s sophisticated vision is expressed through the Textile and Leather Collection 2025: an exclusive range of fabrics and leathers with a strong expressive power, designed to enhance product design and create new tactile and visual experiences. Each covering, enriched with sophisticated sartorial details, finds its harmony with materials used such as wood, marble, stone and lacquered finishes that characterise the brand’s furnishings, generating a dialogue between materials that enhances the harmony of the project. The colour palette ranges from warm, natural tones – such as ‘Tanganyika’ and sand to vibrant shades of rust, curry and aquamarine – creating increasingly eclectic indoor and outdoor settings that are open to personalisation and continuity.

How is Minotti approaching sustainability — not just in materials, but in terms of durability, longevity, and relevance of design?

Sustainability represents a driving force that influences not only the choice of materials we use, but also the design and production of our furniture. We believe that the design of the future must combine elegance and responsibility, offering solutions that stand the test of time in terms of construction quality, aesthetic value and functional relevance. The aim is to create pieces of furniture that retain their value over the years, contributing  to a more conscious and sustainable culture of consumption.

You’ve brought together designers from diverse cultural and creative backgrounds. What unites these different voices into the singular language of Minotti?

Collaborations with architects and designers from different cultures have accelerated the flow of creative energy that the company promotes, enriching our aesthetic universe. We are always on the lookout for novel visions, and we have been able to build solid relationships with professionals who have strong personalities but are in tune with our philosophy. The result is an harmonious dialogue between different cultures which, despite their uniqueness, express themselves in a coherent symphony, respecting and strenghtening the global identity of the Minotti brand.

What are some of the challenges the next generation of Minotti’s family faces in today’s evolving business landscape?

Minotti’s strength lies in its cohesive spirit, shared passion and clear vision. At a time when many family businesses have come under the management of funds and financial groups, we continue to cultivate our corporate spirit in the name of tradition and the evolution of our brand, strengthened by our unity.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the defining furniture trend of 2026 — something that architects and designers should watch out for now?

Current trends indicate a significant change in the perception of the domestic space, which today plays an increasingly central role in everyday life. The home plays more and more the role of an intimate refuge where one can recharge and rediscover balance and at the same time, plays the role of a space for conviviality and togetherness. This approach also extends to outdoor spaces, which are being reimagined as natural extensions of the indoors, to be enjoyed all year round. In response to this evolution, we design furniture pieces that combine functionality, comfort and aesthetics, created for an increasingly sophisticated and demanding international audience.