A trusted vessel full of knowledge and passion for the art of leather furniture, Gamma’s Commercial Director Andrea Basso eagerly unveils the Italian furniture giant’s newest collection and deep dives into what makes it, and the brand itself, the paragon of prestige.
Andrea Basso, Commercial Director of Gamma
The leatherbounded tale of Gamma Arredamenti first bloomed back in 1974 under the close friendship between Gabriele Ghetti and Carla Botti, and their shared passion for long-lasting furniture, each bringing their own expertise and experience to the proverbial table to embark on a whole new adventure together. Half a century later, the [still] first generation-run Italian furniture superstar remains laser focused on creating luxurious leather pieces for the entire living, dining and bedroom. From expanding its key players — sofas and armchairs — to venturing into beds, coffee tables, dining table sets, lighting and accessories, research-driven Gamma has much to offer in the way of contemporary elegance without ever forgetting its values of tradition.
Arriving straight from Italy, Commercial Director Andrea Basso stepped through the doors of Forest Furniture — the brand’s one and only exclusive Malaysian retailer — on the mid-afternoon of 19th February 2024 to speak more about Gamma and what makes it stand out amidst the fierce sea of furniture design. Just like the healthiest seed that bears the sweetest fruit, it all begins with the impeccable quality of leather chosen.
Andrea Basso (left) with Logan Lim, founder of Forest Contemporary Furnishing Design (right)
Instead of the traditional cow, it’s the unconventional bull bred in Italy, and Northern Europe, that is utilised for its enormous size grants double the material, its inability to become pregnant ensures stability in overall texture and its skin composite affords a durable thickness of up to 5mm. Although various experimentations have been made with vegan leathers, unfortunately the results just do not come close to the real thing … and Gamma, understandably, is not one to compromise on quality.
Next comes the process, whereby every step is dealt with by hand; only the first selection from the tannery makes the final cut before every single imperfection is carefully removed by a group of 25 ladies to ensure the finest outcome that’s super soft, irregular in its own originality, highlights the richness of the full grain and honours the craftsmanship that went into its made-to-order, 100% Made in Italy production. Gamma’s leather is also prepped to withstand our brutal Asian heat and humidity — two natural processes which heighten during the transportation stage; matter of fact, all products succeed in passing the fire-resistant test.
Coming into the design itself, the brand’s vast catalogue is divided into two collections: Gamma, led by CEO and Co-founder Gabriele Ghetti, and Dandy Home by Giuseppe Viganò, Gamma’s art director since 2013. Nevertheless, they share a lot in common. Gabriele found inspiration from his family’s background rooted in the creation of fashionable leather travel bags, deciding to replicate this furniture-meets-fashion concept, especially the intricate details involved, into the brand’s sofa collection. Andrea’s favourite, a.k.a the Gregory sofa is one subtle but great example, whereby its buckled straps are influenced by the details of the Hermès jockey jacket.
Speaking of fashion, you’ll find pieces belonging to famous powerhouses like Hermès, Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton splashed in the catalogues of Gamma, and only Gamma, for they all share the same tannery. In doing so, the bond between the two worlds is strengthened through more than just design, but material too. Andrea even recalls a client who delightfully shared a picture of her Kelly handbag atop the brand new sofa she purchased — [an intentional] match made in heaven, indeed.
In recent years, Gamma began exploring and experimenting with the relationship between leather and other materials like ceramic, marble, metal and textile for a more contemporary approach to furniture design. Other than coffee tables and drawer units, seating options like the Cocoon Bergère armchair is a standout not just for its hand-woven leather shell but also its pairing with the tweed-like Klee fabric … a fabric which just so happens to be the exact same material used by Chanel to construct their famous jackets.
Cocoon Bergère armchair
A relatively new release that was launched at last year’s Salone del Mobile Milano, the GMM Capsule Collection by Viganò is envisioned as a total living solution that possesses one common denominator: tree-inspired lines. A mix of leather and fabrics that range from neutral nuances to bright painterly hues define GMM for an overall cohesive storyline that’s all about the details. Going beyond the design concept, the brand plans to give opportunities to other designers you’re bound to have heard of to take over the following editions of this collection, each designer to leave their own unique mark in Gamma’s legacy.
In celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary, only 50 pieces of the iconic Margot modern armchair with a softly sculpted silhouette, an elegant tubular base and a youthful vibe will be released with a special logo and inventory number on the label (marked 1 to 50). This limited edition is undoubtedly the highlight of the expansive 2024 collection which also introduces Andrea’s new favourite: the Tokyo sofa, a hybrid between the best-selling Vincent and Sunset sofas.
Margot modern armchair
Also allowing the leather expert to stay ahead of the competition is its unparalleled generosity in custom configurations. Size, depth, colour, detail, material (even the foam type) and more — the choices are endless, and it’s all in the hands of the client for a tailor-made solution like no other. For instance, the company recently delivered a much larger version of the Sunset sofa to the home of a 210 cm-tall National Football League (NFL) player in the United States, much to his contentment.
Another client even requested for a small fridge to be slotted into the hidden storage compartment of the Gregory sofa and guess what — the Gamma team succeeded in doing so. Considering 85% of its market is worldwide, the brand figured that it would be ideal to accommodate cultural and religious preferences too, without deviating from the original design, of course. Take the Space sofa for instance; it comes in two types of nodules: the original cross and the alternative anchor, both of which remain equal in aesthetic value.
Space Sofa
Sunset Sofa
As expected, Gamma’s customer service goes above and beyond the industry standard. Before loading, plenty of mint condition product pictures are taken and sent to clients for a peace of mind on both sides. Even the response rate by the customer service squad is admirable, for no matter the time zone, you’ll get a quick response … two days at most. As for the products themselves, a 10-year warranty is guaranteed — a rarity in this industry, but Gamma, once again, proves why it’s in a league of its own.
As for the underlying message of the company, the Commercial Director sums it up by saying, “If we can do something, we want to do it the best way possible; we want to create something really special with special references attached to it. We’d like to emulate that special sensation you feel from purchasing a high-end luxury fashion item when you purchase our product … allowing it to become something you can be just as proud of.” It’s no wonder the brand found the right home with Forest Furniture a few years back, both parties sharing and understanding each other’s mindsets and motivations with ease. With an entire floor dedicated to Gamma, incorporating a layout that’s similar to its showroom in Italy, Andrea is most pleased with the sight before him and is grateful for this partnership.
Left to right: Mr. Alvin Chang of ACG Media, Andrea Basso of Gamma Arredamenti, Logan Lim of Forest Contemporary Furnishing Design
After his insightful presentation came to a close, ACG Media kindly presented Andrea with a Designer of the Year (DOTY) Awards 2023 certificate to honour Gamma, in partnership with Forest Furniture, for Best Product Design; it’s in recognition of the brand’s outstanding commitment and continuous excellence in the field of design as demonstrated by the conceptualisation of the Karl Sofa designed by Viganò for the Dandy Home Collection. Upon concluding the intimate affair with booze and a light lunch, guests took leave with a whole new arsenal of inspiring ideas with promising aspirations to translate them into future designs in celebration of timeless elegance.