On the occasion of Milan Design Week, Poltrona Frau presents its new Parka series of sectional and modular sofas. A collection that inaugurates an exciting collaboration with the creative duo Draga & Aurel.
This year, the 2024 Imagine Collection by Poltrona Frau invites our Imagination to emerge as a creative force that can manifest our dream interiors, shaping them to create a more relatable and personal space. With this in mind, and to give voice to the numerous and possible declinations of the theme, the luxury furniture brand has further expanded its roster of ‘in-house design consultants’, commissioning exciting new names to join forces on the various projects.
The renowned design duo Draga & Aurel has been invited to collaborate on the Imagine Softness theme. The Serbian/German design partners have been based in Como Italy for many years, and have a particularly impressive professional path which works across the spectrum of various artistic and cultural fields. Lovers of fashion, bespoke vintage and enveloping shapes, Draga & Aurel have always been particularly sensitive to the culture of textile recycling and upcycling.
In this first project for Poltrona Frau, they hone their exceptional talent with Parka, a modular seating system that pays homage to the iconic jacket. From pop stars to streetwear: in the ’90s the Oasis frontman (who was highly influenced by Mod’s ’60s fashion) managed to take an everyday garment and make it cool. The Parka jacket became the epitome of street style, a versatile, protective garment but soft and comfortable at the same time. Much like the iconic jacket, the Parka sofa coordinates effortlessly with all types of interiors and is extremely versatile, despite (or even because of) its strong personality. The soft lines and generously padded upholstery that skims the floor hint at comfort and relaxation. The unusual elliptical shape of the backrest, which inclines to become an armrest and then a seamless seat, creates a concave or convex space that is both audacious and welcoming, seamlessly coordinating with different styles of interiors.
“Not many companies are capable of embracing so many different external visions whilst still upholding a furnishing philosophy consistent with its identity.” states Nicola Coropulis, CEO of Poltrona Frau, “Over the years, in the various collaborations with new designers, Poltrona Frau has always sought and upheld that sense of contemporary luxury which is able to respond in an aesthetic, conceptual and, above all, ethical way – to modern requisites.”
The Parka collection comprises modular elements: a concave or convex armchair without armrests or with a terminal armrest, the latter also in a maxi version, either right-side or left-side. It can be upholstered either entirely in Pelle FrauR, in the various types of leather present in the catalogue, or in a leather + fabric combination. In this case the leather is applied to the external structure, while the fabric is applied to the seat, backrest and armrest. Tone-on-tone top stitching completes the aesthetic.