Giorgio Saporiti Biography
Younger brother of Sergio Saporiti, founder of the lauded interior and furniture brand Saporiti Italia, Giorgio Saporiti (m. 2020) is an art director and interior designer. He served for decades as co-owner with Sergio di Saporiti where he led the upholstery division and beyond. Giorgio designed furniture for B&B Italia and collaborated for years with Ottavio Missoni on fabrics and interiors, and in 1994 he founded Il Loft. Initially founded as Fratelli Saporiti in 1950, mid-century Italian furniture maker Saporiti Italia has a reputation for avant-garde and enduring designs. Furniture designer Sergio Saporiti founded Fratelli Saporiti with the vision of creating pieces ahead of their time. By staying abreast of the cultural changes taking shape during the post-war period and finding inspiration in the craftsmanship, durability and sensibility of Scandinavian design, Saporiti was able to tap into what the public wanted. His attention to using high-quality materials ensured that each cozy chair and table can be used and enjoyed for decades to come. In 1965 Saporiti collaborated with the Italian designer Alberto Rosselli, a pioneer of the industrial design movement. They created iconic pieces such as the Confidential sofa, the Moby Dick chaise longue and the Jumbo chair. In the 1970s, Saporiti began another collaboration with the Italian designer Giovanni Offredi. The prolific collaboration resulted in universally known designs such as the Paracarro table and the Sail chair. Together, they also created the Wave curved sofa. The joint projects were a success and the brand opened many international showrooms in the 1970s. This era also led to a partnership with Missoni: the celebrated Italian fashion brand worked closely with Giorgio Saporiti to create rugs and fabrics for its seating range and more, and later, in 1983, Missoni expanded in home furnishings. At this time, the company was officially renamed Saporiti Italia and released a line of customizable furniture, including the Avedon sofa, in collaboration with designer Mauro Lipparini.
