This is an important year for De Padova: in 2006 we celebrate our 50th anniversary, for which we are preparing a series of initiatives.  For now, we anticipate the talks that we had with some of De Padova's old friends, which you'll find collected in... we won't tell you yet- it will be a surprise!

PATRICIA URQUIOLA
My first encounter with De Padova has been wonderful: I used to pass by the shop-window, for me it was like an “island of the senses”. Thanks to common friends I managed to “get introduced” to the shop, I did whatever I could to get there, but then the result was greater than I had expected... I think De Padova is an example of completeness. The shop isn't just a shop: as early as 15 years ago it was a sort of showroom. Today the word showroom is used for everything, but it's De Padova that interpreted it in Italy. There was a new idea of relation with the public. And the idea of collection mattered more than the idea of style -”collection” in the sense of “connections”, as Eames meant it. Each object has its own history, sometimes they're made by different designers but they fit together because they're connected with each other. This connection among things is a very beautiful approach to design.
De Padova's was a highly cultivated environment: being involved with it has been very insightful for me, as well as for many Italian firms and architects.

FERRUCCIO LAVIANI
I think that, from an historical point of view, De Padova has been very important, because it put forward an international approach linked to 50's and 60's U.S. design culture, with figures such as Eames, Nelson and Knoll. Today De Padova keeps teaching us design, because the work of Achille, Vico and others remains contemporary, no matter what; even after 20 or 30 years, their creations are still in production, they're bestsellers and they have the same dignity as new products. Few firms can afford this, it means that these products were chosen with care and intuition.

ALESSANDRO MENDINI
I spent such a long time here in Milan as a designer, in a way I started from Counter-design while De Padova has always represented design as an institution. This is why we had always looked at each other and respected one another, but we had never worked together. Then, due to this reciprocal esteem and to the consideration I had for Vico Magistretti, at one point we met: a proposal came from from Maddalena, the idea of “re-designing” an armchair by Vico Magistretti. It was a wonderful encounter.
Initially De Padova brought to Italy some of the greatest international designers, and this is definitely positive. But they were looked through the lenses of Maddalena De Padova's conception of furnishing.

BIRGIT LOHMANN
This is a female firm, I doubt there exists another firm in this field with more than 80omen. It is meaningful that the shape of De Padova's furniture tries to be as harmonious as possible and to emanate happiness. And that a single piece is never the only star. All these aspects are very feminine. Only women could embrace this philosophy: typically, it is women who wish to generate a family where everything works together rather than little, individual geniuses.