Interview with Davide Fabi, CEO Pininfarina Segno

How do you see and how is your company dealing with the comeback of the charm of paper and writing accessories? 

Since the birth of the Pininfarina Segno project we have always had a lateral vision with respect to the world of traditional writing. The writing instruments of the Pininfarina Segno collection with patented metal tip (ETHERGRAF) do not aim to completely replace common writing instruments but, by going beyond the concept of pure function, are transformed into ideal design accessories for those who always have a story to tell. The ETHERGRAF® tip is forged by Italian goldsmiths who fuse the metals together to create the alloy. The manufacturing processes follow, giving shape to the various types of tip, and following through to the polishing and finishing phases. The tip is only assembled onto the stem at a later stage, thus making each piece unique.

Innovation at the service of the imagination, ETHERGRAF® is a material that stands the test of time: the perfect vehicle to give shape to thoughts. The evolution of writing into a new symbolic object which is the perfect fusion of technology and design. Even our production of traditional ink pens always focuses on the product design, imagining the art of writing as a mere function of the product itself.

How are your projects created and what are the main hallmarks that distinguish them?

The Pininfarina Segno project was created with a unique vision: to create new and unprecedented writing experiences and scenarios in terms of design, technologies, materials and methods of use. A design atelier dedicated to the world of "writing and accessories" in which to develop objects inspired by the creativity of Pininfarina and at the same time a Creative Observatory capable of selecting and proposing international brands that deserve visibility and diffusion, having distinguished themselves for innovation, creativity and visions consistent with the values of Pininfarina.

Design, technology and research into materials are the cornerstones of all your projects, how are these combined in writing and accessories?

The real challenge is always to create timeless objects and for this reason we are always on the lookout for innovative solutions in terms of shapes and materials. Always travelling along unexplored roads, we often find ourselves faced with unexpected challenges which, thanks to the experience and tenacity of our production chain, we often manage to resolve. We like to call it "made well in Italy".

What role does sustainability play in your products?

We strongly believe in "reuse" as an effective form of sustainability. In this case a great example is our best-selling product ever, "Pininfarina Cambiano", an iconic item made of aluminium and wood. Since 2012, all the wood used for the production of this product has recovered from other processes. Focusing on the walnut wood reference, while maintaining the noble characteristics of the material, the processing has always been made possible by the reuse of recycled material that would otherwise have been disposed of.