Shine the spotlight on the customer, making them the protagonist of the product creation phase. In fact, here it is the buyer who wears the designer's clothes. This is not a utopia but an idea that is already reality thanks to Shapeless, a Sicilian brand created by the young architect Angelo Larecchiuta.

“Shapeless means without a clear shape, that can take infinite forms. It is the customer who gives shape to his own object, starting from a high design model conceived by me and developed by the person who will take the product home”.

How and when did this original idea originate?

“The city of Palermo, capital of Arab-Norman architecture, together with my experiences abroad gave me the opportunity to open my mind and think outside the box.  During my Erasmus in Germany, in 2016, I learned about some parametric modelling techniques that I put into practice throughout the Covid period, exploring the potential and versatility of 3D printing.  From that moment on I wanted to make my passion come true by creating a brand of unique and original decorative objects”.

Design and future, creative customer, zero waste and zero emissions. These are the three founding values of Shapeless, the first Italian company that offers the possibility of personalising vases in 3D

“With 3D printers we produce our design objects only to order, without wasting material and without building warehouse stock, so creating a sustainable production cycle”.

Why did you choose to start with vases?

“Through the vase I can tell my story by bringing to life unique shapes and I was sure that other people, like me, would prefer something original and customisable. In the future I think I will also dedicate myself to the world of lamps and furnishing accessories”.

The passion for design has always been present for the young architect. Hence his choice of the faculty of architecture, an academic path marked by excellence, years during which his love of contemporary architectural forms and design matured more and more, strengthening the forma mentis of the project and the beauty he creates.

The business started by his grandfather and then inherited by the family – selling classic furniture that over the years has expanded to include home furnishings revisited in a modern key – has provided him with an in-depth knowledge of the industrial design sector and extensive market knowledge.

Can you tell us your story? Your relationship with forms, the connection with your family's business, innovation and your ability to be a citizen of the world, by proposing something new?

Since I was a child I have been fascinated by historical architecture and other kinds too. Growing up, I was always struck by the contemporary forms used in public spaces by architects like Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry and MAD architects.

Organic shapes and their complexity have become my passion and my obsession, but seeing ideas and shapes in the construction world takes a long time to do and I like fast, almost immediate things. This was why I approached product design which is faster to do and 3D printing, which is even more so. The latter, moreover, gives me the possibility to realise my ideas in a couple of hours and in forms that are different each time from the previous one.

The shop was certainly an experience that gave me in-depth knowledge of the furnishing accessories sector and the market but what I do today with my company is completely different, new and innovative.

In fact, Shapeless is not a retailer, but a design brand, which starts from the idea of a decorative vase project (in this case) moving on to production with natural materials and the subsequent phase of direct sales to the end customer or to various retailers. All this in an inclusive and tech-friendly way, making the customer a participant in their purchase".

The New York City Journal named him one of the top 10 most brilliant and creative interior designers. The only Italian on the list, a more than gratifying recognition

“Yes, the news was both amazing and unexpected. The NYC Journal contacted me to feature me in their article: “top 10 interior designers to look out for in 2024”. Interior designer is here understood more as a design brand in the home decor sector, in fact Shapeless is identified among the small emerging, innovative and eco-friendly companies”. 

For me it was certainly a big surprise and a great source of satisfaction because it brought it home to me that my design brand is innovative and original. 

Using a configurator the customer can create his own unique and original object

What do you like in particular about your job?

“Creating contemporary shapes and generating design to add a touch of originality to the environment where the collections are placed. 

I believe that talking to people is the right thing to do, the potential buyer must be involved in the realisation process.  My brand hands over the reins to the customer, making him participate in the product selection phase. Using a configurator the customer can create his own unique and original object.  At the same time, the brand sells my design collections, available in various colours and sizes. Even in the collectibles, Shapeless gives importance to the customer's needs, in fact customers can request customised sizes of the various designs".

What levers do you use to attract customers and build customer loyalty?

“The NYC Journal article is a great calling card. That said, I send emails to leads to encourage them to make a purchase, I tell my story with the help of social media to build a personal brand and thanks to social media I can convey the company image”.

What are the peculiarities of your business and what do you do to differentiate yourself from potential competitors?

“We live in a world where people want to be protagonists, where customers would like to be involved during the purchasing phases. So I thought I'd offer this opportunity to everyone, everyone can leave their mark by becoming a co-designer. In today's world the consumer is much more aware and informed than in the past and every day, when surfing on social networks, reading magazines, and listening to the news we unconsciously memorise information such as colours, numbers, and shapes, and when we have to buy something of design, we know more or less what we want but we are not able to find it easily.

Certainly the future of design and e-commerce is moving towards personalisation but I go beyond this concept. With Shapeless the consumer can take the unconscious images and be fully involved in the design process”.

Innovation, customisation and uniqueness, creative customer and sustainability. We must involve young people and make them participate in the purchase and even more in the creative phase

“Rejuvenate” stores and bring young people closer to the points of sale. How are these two objectives achieved?

“One of the most successful keys to involving young people is to make them feel a part of the purchase and, even more so, of the creative phase. Young people are born digital natives so we need to offer them innovation and uniqueness, and that's exactly what I'm trying to do in my brand, by combining three values: Innovation (customisation and uniqueness), creative customer and sustainability”. 

Omnichannel: What channels do you use for promotion and sales?

“I sell through my personal e-commerce site and I'm starting to set up online shops on various social networks like Facebook and Instagram or home decor marketplaces like Etsy. 

I sell in my parents' physical store and little by little I want to enter other activities, because the presence in physical stores is very important and the way of selling is completely different. They are two systems that do not cancel each other out but instead complement each other".