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Go to shop16 April 2025
The elements of the Lisse sofa are like pebbles smoothed by the flow of water and are the result of significant research into materials.
Lisse translates from French as smooth, without creases, and this sensation, tactile and visual, is what inspired Sabine Marcelis to design her first upholstered piece, produced by laCividina and presented at the recently concluded Salone del Mobile.
The genesis of this sofa is particular: Marcelis is inclined to independent productions and for a recent collaboration with a luxury skincare brand she created a collection of upholstered pieces that were the protagonists of an event of the brand during Art Basel in Miami. The designer had in her heart and mind the Osaka sofa designed by Pierre Paulin in 1967 and now produced by laCividina, which is why introducing Lisse to the company was a natural and simply appropriate gesture.
Modular and fluid, Lisse looks like a soft sculpture and in this it is perfectly consistent with the style of Marcelis, whose productions have a sculptural and metaphysical profile. It can be combined with elements such as poufs and additional seats to create infinite configurations and adapts to various contexts, both domestic and hospitality. It is covered with Mylla, the first monomaterial fabric in entirely recycled polyester developed by the Dutch brand Febrik. The result, in addition to being sustainable, is innovative from a formal point of view because it has no visible seams to make the surface even smoother and more surreal: “When you use organic shapes, usually there are a lot of seams to achieve that result or you create wrinkles. But for this sofa there are only two visible seams in the whole piece, and I am really grateful for that”, explains the designer.
What was your initial idea for this project and how did it develop to the final result?
I work mainly with hard materials in geometric shapes. For my first foray into a sofa I wanted to focus on softness, in the formal language and in the materiality – hence the name Lisse (French for soft). I also wanted to make it with a single gestural backrest but with several island seats, so as to make it an extremely flexible project that would allow it to grow and shrink and be used in different configurations and directions.
In what ways do you feel close to laCividina’s approach and style?
The company, just like me, works intuitively rather than purely strategically. It’s the same for me; sometimes things just seem right for no reason. I think Fulvio Bulfoni had this feeling when I showed him the Lisse sofa project. It wasn’t something specific they were looking for in their catalogue, but it seemed right! I think it’s important to listen to this intuition and I also think it’s rare for brands to operate with this sensitivity.
The sofa is upholstered entirely in recycled fabric, what are the implications of this choice?
For me it’s not a problem to work with sustainable materials. As much as possible sourced and produced responsibly and easy to recycle. This is Fabrik’s first monomaterial made entirely of recycled polyester. And it still meets all the requirements needed to cover this sofa in the most appropriate way possible (i.e. without creases!). I am very happy with that!
Speaking of interiors, what are, in your opinion, the priorities in designing and choosing furniture today?
Flexibility of objects and design that evolves with people. Objects that can be easily “updated” or integrated in different ways as life evolves in larger or smaller homes.
