Rossana Orlandi
THE MENTOR
best known as Milan’s Queen of Design, indefatigable spotter and nurturer of new talent, and founder of the splendiferous Galleria Rossana Orlandi.
“I would like to see more WOMEN in all fields, particularly in construction, engineering and architecture. We are much STRONGER than men and are used to solving many more PROBLEMS every day” rossana orlandi
Rossana Orlandi’s presence at Salone del Mobile is as imperative as Milan itself. Her performative look — that tiny frame; those giant glasses; that white cap of hair, pulled back tight — is impossible to ignore; it’s as if creativity oozes from her very pores, moulding itself into physical form. Orlandi is equally famous as mentor to many designers, past and present. “My greatest satisfaction is having been defined as the ‘mum of design,’” she says. “My gallery is a meeting point where designers, collectors, architects, everyone, can meet and feel at home.” With a passion for plastic, she sees sustainability in design’s future, in particular “the discovery of new biopolymers rather than eco-friendly materials”.
As for women’s roles, “I would like to see more women in all fields, particularly in construction, engineering and architecture,” she says. “We are much stronger than men and are used to solving many more problems every day.”