Good evening and welcome to the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Japan, a magnificent venue where Japanese history and culture, dating back to the Edo period, blend with Italian art and architecture from the mid-Sixties.
This beautiful Residence is the perfect setting to celebrate Edra, an Italian company renowned for its excellence in design.
For nearly forty years, its elegantly crafted sofas and armchairs have adorned private homes, museums, and prestigious international collections. Edra’s timeless pieces embody the essence of Made in Italy: craftsmanship, attention to detail, creativity, research and technological innovation.
Part of Edra’s success, which began in the small Tuscan town of Perignano, comes from its ability to build strong and lasting collaborations with international designers and architects.
Among them, tonight we are pleased to honor – through his daughter Nanae – Masanori UMEDA. A true bridge between Italian and Japanese design, UMEDA spent many years in Italy, first at the Castiglioni studio, then as a design consultant for Olivetti.
His collaboration with Edra began in the 1990s, leading to the creation of the iconic “Flower” collection. Two extraordinary pieces are on display tonight. They are unique creations, like «haute couture garments», as Maestro UMEDA once said.
Finally, I would like to thank Niccolò MAZZEI, Edra’s Director of International Development and second-generation of this family-owned company, and Kosuke KITAMURA, President of Living House, for joining us tonight, and I now give them the floor.
Thank you all for being here and I wish Edra continued success in Japan.