Pure and Simple
Over 90 years in the game, Porro maintains the simplicity that is distinct to its brand
In 1925, brothers Giulio and Stefano Porro opened a workshop in the Brianza area of Italy, popularly known as the birthplace of highquality furniture in the country. Here was where the brothers created old-style furniture for the budding Milanese middleclass, and where their eponymous brand had its humble beginnings.
Porro, now a global furniture design brand, is famous for its unique ability to use wood in creating stylish yet practical furniture. Since its founding, the company has skilfully matched traditional handicraft methods with modern manufacturing technologies in creating their products. While the production process may sound complicated, each piece of Porro furniture is created with simplicity in mind, letting function reign while staying minimalistic in design.
The Porro brand has always been a family affair. Second-generation cousins Carlo, Arturo, and Silvio spearheaded the brand’s expansion into modern design from its oldstyle roots. They collaborated with Italian designer Bruno Munari, who designed the company’s logo in 1966. It was Munari’s idea to turn the O’s in “Porro” into screws, as a manifestation of the brand being a woodworking company.
In the ’80s, the third generation— Lorenzo, Fabiano, and Giovanni e Danilo Porro—made design the company’s driving force. This was when renowned architect and designer Piero Lissoni joined the team as art director. He has since then been a valuable asset, having designed some of the brand’s flagship products.
Today, the company celebrates 93 years of furniture design, with over 100 employees and 600 retailers across the globe. Throughout the years, Porro has revolutionised wood-crafting techniques— like carving, bending, and combining—to keep up with the times. While the brand is characterised by distinctive designs and is able to cater to a diverse market, it maintains a consistent image. Such is made possible with Porro’s loyalty to its philosophy: simplicity above all.