A world of handcrafted luxury

Few people are not seduced by the world of luxury, bespoke, handcrafted jewels, fabrics, crystal, cashmere and silk. A world of opulence and unlimited imagination where every fantasy and whim are at your perfectly manicured fingertips…

This past year, Fantini Mosaici has once again been privileged to receive invitations to some of the world's most exclusive addresses to indulge in creative moments in the company of some of the world’s most incredibly talented designers to mastermind magnificent walls and floors for the well-heeled.

The outcome has been a string of handcrafted bespoke mosaic terrazzo floors for some of the most coveted designer brands, including Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Cartier and Chopard.

Fantini Mosaici artisans jetted off to some exotic locations to create their own form of mosaic magic in the interiors of the new Louis Vuitton boutiques flagship store in Atlanta's prestigious Lenox Mall and Las Vegas, as well as making their presence felt in the new Louis Vuitton boutique in Madrid, the Spanish capital.

In Milan, the home of Fantini Mosaici, the firm was honoured to participate in restoring the historic Milanese building that is now the HQ for the fashion brand Kiton from Naples.

The former HQ of the late Gianfranco Ferre’s fashion empire was known as Palazzo Ferre. Well-known Milanese architect and editor Franco Raggi, a past collaborator of Ferre, oversaw the extensive renovation of the three-storey building on Via Pontaccio.

Fantini Mosaici’s expertise in renovating and reconstructing ageing

Terrazzo flooring and merging them with new custom-made floors was called upon to create a flowing and seamless terrazzo flooring in muted natural colours that preserves and respects the integrity of the original flooring's architectural grandeur.

The team worked closely with architect Bruna Galbusera to create a harmonious and free-flowing architectural dialogue between past and present, echoing Kiton’s refined design aesthetic.

Following years of meticulous external and internal restoration, the grand Palazzo Kiton is not just a retail destination but one of architectural interest that supports the expanding fashion brand's ambitious plans and continues to be one of the fashion capital’s most impressive HQ for a fashion brand.

Master craftspeople also journeyed to the Portofino crème de la crème of holiday destinations on the Ligurian Italian coast, where they worked in collaboration with top designer Martin Brudnizki

and leading Italian Landscape Architect Marco Bay to create a charming 370-metre pink pebble stone pool terrace decorated with seashells, hippopotami, starfish, and dolphins in hand-cut mosaic in time for the summer arrival of the jet-setting VVIPs at the iconic Splendido, a Belmond Hotel, in Portofino, Italy.

They also popped into the new intimate Louis Vuitton boutique, just a stone's throw from the port, to lay a floor signature flooring in shades of sandy beige marble.

Always with their finger on the pulse of what's new and in sync with the brands in the news, Fantini Mosaici's craftspeople also stopped off at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s futuristic Midfield Terminal, as seen in the recent ‘Mission Impossible 7’ movie, to install a catwalk worthy floor in the new Saint Laurent boutique.

The French brand also invited the Fantini artisanal crew to install the flooring in the new Saint Laurent Boutique in Manama, the Bahraini capital.

A rather long sojourn in Saudi Arabia allowed the mosaic specialists time to instal some decorative mosaic features to a significant royal compound in NEOM before popping into ‘Scott’s’ in the new luxury mall, Via Riyadh, where they laid a mosaic accent floor to the delight of diners in the chic seafood restaurant.

Adding to the refined elegance of the new Cartier boutiques in Kuwait and Riyadh, the Fantini Mosaici mosaicists delicately and with clockwork precision laid precious bespoke mosaic surfaces to compliment the priceless gem collections.

Well respected for the extensive work in the Qasr Al Watan, the UAE’s Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi was also called to Egypt to create some mosaic feature elements in the new Presidential Palace in the new city rising on the outskirts of Cairo.

The finishing touches were also hand-placed in the extensive network of mosaics at the new Palazzo Versace in the Grand Lisboa Resort in Macau. Following years of work, the luxurious five-star hotel features millions of hand-cut colourful mosaics throughout the lavish property, from the pastel hues of the spa to the vibrant coloured indoor and outdoor swimming pools, the lobby and restaurants; the Fantini Mosaici touch is to be experienced at every turn, reimagining the timeless elegance of mosaic.

The Palazzo Versace in Macau is just the third property that carries the name of the great Italian couturier, the late Gianni Versace. The first two hotels are in Australia's Gold Coast, and the other in Dubai. They are also extensively decorated with artisanal mosaic, terrazzo, and pebble stone surfaces.

New concepts and applications for mosaic and terrazzo were centre stage during Milan Design Week 2023, ranked as the world's biggest and most inspirational design event.

Fantini Mosaici’s presence among Milan Design Week’s jam-packed itinerary and programme of events and installations and their ‘Back to the Future’ experiential installation of optical illusions, designed by AB+AC Architects, was regarded by many top publications, including Architectural Digest and The Times, as being among the top 10.

The other activities during Milan Design week included 'A Tale of Beauty, Design, Décor and Surfaces ‘research/competition initiative students held in collaboration with the prestigious Academia di Belle Arti Brera Academia saw the advancement of the ‘Fantini Mosaici Art Programme’ that seeks to promote and highlight and nurture the use of mosaics in art, architecture and interiors.

While their ‘Submerged Aesthetics-Unveiling Hidden Beauty’ installation by CARA/DAVIDE and curated by Park Associati

proved to be a more cerebral, innovative, and sustainable approach to how terrazzo can be adapted for future applications - where recycled electronic microchips, computer chips and elements from electrical circuit boards, rather than marble and glass chips, were integrated into the terrazzo to create a truly modern terrazzo – a so-called 'Electronic terrace’, the reflects the high-tech world of today, combined with the centuries-old terrazzo technique that generated ideas of how new age scraps can be used in modern construction.

Again, in collaboration with Lisbon-based AB+AC architects Fantini Mosaici, 'Carved in the Now' is an installation of 165,000 hand-cut and mounted in rare yellow sienna marble, gold mosaic sprinkled with energy-giving crystals. The mosaics were enhanced with mirrors, light and sound to create a memorable moment of reflection and well-being as guests enjoyed the optic of illusionary towers above and below their feet as they entered and exited the Downtown Design exhibition. Inspired by the Dubai skyline, the installation was an integrated central attraction of the AB+ AC designed Downtown Design main entrance area supported by Fantini Mosaici.

Renowned Swiss artist Anne-Marie Fischer's contemporary abstract art was another of Fantini Mosaic’s design collaborations in 2023.

Based on a collage by Fischer, the mosaicists recreated a bold series of artistic mosaic wall art, in white, red and black marble, 24k gold and blue green and red enamel. The collection also includes a statement piece hot red enamel and white marble coffee table The Anne-Marie Fischer X Fantini Mosaici will be available through 1st Dibs: www.1stdibs.com

The year ends with a celebration with Luxury Jewellery Group Chopard, who will soon open their breathtakingly beautiful debut concept, Hotel 1, Place Vendome, in the heart of the Paris capital.

Initially built in 1723 by Pierre Perrin, the 15-room property underwent a year-long Euro 18 million renovation by Interior Designer par excellence Pierre-Yves Rochon and the Group's owners, the Scheufele family, to resemble an exclusive and intimate private club.

The lavish interior features a spectacular mural and flooring by Fantini Mosaici. Situated in the glass-roofed Winter Garden, Fantini Mosaici’s most experienced artisans created a genuinely exquisite accent wall depicting a colourful scene of peacocks, butterflies, monkeys and other animals in a luscious natural floral setting, inspired by Chopard’s ‘Animal World ‘Collection of precious jewels, launched in 2010, to celebrate the Maison’s 150th anniversary.

The rich and colourful mosaic featuring thousands of hand-cut jewel-like mosaic tesserae in shades of sapphire, ruby, emeralds, and gold creates the perfect backdrop to the tranquil ambience of the Winter Garden.

Catherine Belbin, Design Editor