A dynamic company that has been synonymous with quality and elegance for more than 250 years.  The furniture by Andrea Fontebasso dates back to 1760, and the collections that have emerged through the years have shared the unmistakable style of authentic Italian design.

How do you sustain the business of shops? What more and different things can be done to create a new relationship between supplier and shop?

“We have set up specific Andrea Fontebasso corners and areas, which are fitted out with dedicated communication and p.o.p. materials to ensure high visibility and direct involvement with the consumer inside the store”, says Davide Bevilacqua, Tognana's marketing and communication manager.

“Our commitment is to constantly present and guarantee new and alternative products with a special attention to detail.

Over the years, we have established strong relationships and create new ones on a daily basis with regular visits to the sales outlets by our agents and sales manager.

The Italian sales network is entrusted to our agents who cover all the regions, whereas we rely directly on larger customers and distributors for foreign sales. Andrea Fontebasso serves retail customers: ranging from gift and wedding favours to garden and florist shops, from housewares and souvenirs to design shops, Heldom, textiles, home decor, jewellers”.

Establishing a correct relationship with the sales outlet and exchanging views periodically to establish a fruitful relationship aimed at developing both parties is the path taken by the Tognana Group brand. An accurate sales strategy must take into account the needs of the end distributor, who is at the heart of the Veneto-based company's marketing policies.

“This year we are exhibiting at Milano Home under the retail brand Andrea Fontebasso 1760, 1760 being the year the brand was founded - then, in the 1980s, became an accomplice in the change of Tognana Porcellane from the production of ceramics to fine porcelain, as a major part of the group.

The refined and eclectic style of Andrea Fontebasso 1760 embellishes the table and not only, with refined and high-end furnishing accessories. It is now one of our leading brands, and thanks to it, internationally renowned designers have created revolutionary lines such as Odeon, Ego and Butterfly, with undisputed elegance and freshness”.

Andrea Fontebasso 1760 traces its roots back to the second half of the 18th century. Through the years, the Veneto-based company has managed to understand and interpret the evolution and dynamics of the home furnishing world.

“We are based in Casier on the outskirts of Treviso. Manufacturing of ceramics stood alongside that of bricks at the beginning of the 18th century, making the company a source of pride for the entire community. Its location near the city of Venice, a cultural landmark for centuries, has contributed decisively to the development of a brand that has always kept the aesthetic component of its offerings in the foreground. Even today, in fact, we are a company that can proudly claim that its origins lie in an artistic workshop, while transmitting enthusiasm and emotion within an industrial reality. We are active on the Italian market with a presence in the European market as well”.

Your wide range of solutions include tableware, cooking accessories and textiles. How important is it to be able to display a typically Italian manufacture and style?

We are unquestionably fond of our made-in-Italy lines, conceived, developed and manufactured here in Treviso, and starting this year we will also present the new cooking programme as Andrea Fontebasso. A high-end line with a unique and distinctive design, resulting from all the values that have always distinguished our products.

Innovation, tradition, sustainability: three strengths of the Fontebasso 1760 brand

The production, but also the design and distribution of our products are the results of continuous improvements that enable us, year after year, to obtain certifications attesting to our ethical, social and environmental commitment. Our achievements are certified by internationally recognised bodies.

What do you expect from the next edition of Milano Home and how important is it to be able to establish direct contacts with buyers and visitors at an Italian trade fair venue?

We rely on the relations established over the years with Fiera Milano; it provides us with the definitive relaunch of Milano Home, which gives us great hopes, and we look forward to a large number of visitors after these last few years of poor numbers. Obviously, direct contact with buyers, established and new customers is crucial in solidifying the relationships that have always distinguished our company, and a great deal of interest will be devoted to the inquisitive and new proposals that an important trade fair such as this one will provide. Being at a trade fair in Italy with a company with a strong, typically Italian creative footprint provides a seamless blend of territory and product, especially for foreign customers.