Alessandro and Susanna Minotti on Craft, Luxury, and India

Minotti’s Bengaluru flagship just turned one, which is the kind of milestone that usually comes with polite speeches and predictable talking points. But when Alessandro and Susanna Minotti walked in, it didn’t feel like that.

They may be third-generation Minottis, but they’re also as passionate about their family business as perhaps their grandfather would’ve been. You see it in the way they talk about furniture - there’s no vague press release-y language; they know the products inside out.

In a candid conversation with Robb Report India, Alessandro and Susanna talk about craftsmanship, what they notice first in a space, why they dislike “statement pieces,” what Indian homes get uniquely right, and what sustainability means to them.

RR: When you walk into a space, what’s the first thing you notice?

Susanna: It’s not one particular thing. It’s the feeling you get in the ambience: proportions, colours, light. The overall harmony. The overall feeling that every little detail can achieve together.

Alessandro: I don’t like much contrast. I like a symphony. Like in a song — the different notes have to create the music. And normally, we shape spaces. It’s not just about a collection or products. It’s the surroundings, the living, the atmosphere.

RR: What’s a design rule you secretly don’t believe in?

SM: Matchy-matchy. I like the opposite: layers. Different tones. Different notes.

Sometimes, also something that is not perfect — like a different colour, or something from another era.

AM: I don’t like a strong protagonist piece. I don’t like it when something is too eye-catching. I want it to be timeless. When I go inside my home, I want to relax - not to be constantly stimulated.

RR: What’s something about Indian homes or Indian clients that you find uniquely interesting?

AM: I’m impressed by how houses use a lot of marble - on the floor, on the walls. Marble becomes decoration. There’s love for this stone — and it enriches the house.

We like marble too — in our collections, we use a lot of marbles — but the way it is used in India is very impressive.”

SM: I also like the way people live in their homes - how big families and many personalities shape the way the house is made. Sometimes we have big families coming to see the showroom — children, grandparents, parents — all together. So the house has to speak different languages. It has to accommodate different needs. And that pushes us to be more versatile.

RR: In India, hosting is a huge part of lifestyle. Does that shift how you think about furniture?

SM: What we have done since the beginning is create collections, especially sofa systems, that can be projected in infinite ways. We have abacuses full of pieces. So everybody can create their own living.

It can be a tiny sofa or a huge living room, made with the same elements. This is our way: versatility, giving this possibility to end users and also architects — because they want their own signature.

AM: It’s quite impressive how the living room is the epicentre of Indian houses. The kitchen comes later, but the living room is really where things happen. It’s where the family is, where guests are. And how they furnish the living room — in a way, you show the power of the family through the living room.

Our sofa systems fit this perfectly — the richness of the craftsmanship, the fact that they’re made in Italy, and the fabrics. We like to experiment with colour.

And colour is so much a part of Indian culture. Strong colours like red. You have fantastic velvet and silk fabrics here. So I think the collection fits very well with Indian homes.

RR: How do you personally decide whether something feels timeless, versus just expensive?

AM: First of all, there is no logo. That, for me, is everywhere — in fashion and in furniture.

Secondly, it’s craftsmanship. When I can recognise the craftsmanship behind the product. Design is important, yes, but there is much more behind a product than design alone.

SM: Even when something is simple, you can see the difference. If you look at an armchair, for example, you notice the piping and the stitching — it’s perfect. Even if you’re not an expert, you still notice. There’s a kind of perfectionism, and that’s what makes the difference.

AM: And I always say: real luxury is not loud. For me, it’s Hermès, Prada, Chanel, Celine. We always mention Bottega Veneta in marketing meetings. You recognise it instantly — not because of the logo, but because of its own way.