For over eight decades, Italian furniture maker Molteni Group has wowed with its fantastic interior decor and luxury lifestyle designs. Now, the marque has opened a sumptuous new showroom in Wan Chai’s Harbour Centre – a grandiose event that also celebrated Molteni’s 85th anniversary. On this special occasion, we caught up with Andrea Molteni, third-generation scion of the Molteni family and Director of Product Development for Molteni&C / DADA, the group’s home and kitchen furnishings arm.

Tell us about your family’s company, the Molteni Group.

We are a family company that’s celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. It was started after WWII by my grandfather, Angelo, in Brianza, the hub of luxury Italian furniture. We began as a small woodworking workshop, but over time, my grandfather decided to move from crafting traditional furniture into modern designs. He also switched to an industrial manufacturing model. Both these decisions really put Molteni ahead of our time. Through the decades, we continued growing, diversifying and gaining acquisitions, and today, we encompass the breadth of the interior design and furniture making industries with branches across the world.

When did you decide to join the company, and what does your current role entail?

It was a strange evolution to be involved in this family business from an early age. I remember spending weekends playing in the factory, and I was  always fascinated by how things worked and how they go together. So, personally, it was a natural progression from that to studying architecture to joining the family business.

Today, as Director of Product Development of Molteni&C / DADA, my role is to serve as a conduit and translator between the visions of the amazing designers we collaborate with and our own unique brand identity. Then, of course, I’m involved with the technical side of things to ensure that every product is up to our high standards.

What sets Molteni&C / DADA apart from competitors?

I think the fact that we’re a heavily family-involved business sets us apart. For myself and my cousins, as well as my father’s generation, who are still involved, it goes above and beyond just a professional career. It’s something we’re all building together, so everything we do is personal, something we take pride in. It helps us really create and maintain special relationships with our clients, and gain a keen insight into their needs so we can keep manufacturing furniture that is in line with their desires and demands.

Tell us about the new showroom.

Our new Molteni&C / DADA showroom is a beautiful new space that showcases the best in high-quality home and kitchen furniture. But beyond the amazing products, we also have an amazing staff who are on hand to aide you in finding the right designs to suit your unique needs.

Thank you.

Molteni&C / DADA Showroom. Shop 202, 2/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup