Giulio Parini - Sweetness and light

Sometime in 2015, the idea for Metallo Dolce (“sweet metal”) was born: Lamp shades made from ultra-thin, malleable brass. Their lightness is soothing and uplifting, for plenty of feel-good vibes. From their aesthetics, to their materials, to shipping, these lamps are light-hearted companions – and easy on the environment. At the same time, they offer the hallmark strength and durability of brass. With this concept, Metallo Dolce’s designer Giulio Parini won the Bally Award for “Artist of the Year”. Parini used the award money to start his own company.

Born and raised in Lugano, Parini’s passion for design was apparent early on. At the age of five, Parini sketched sprawling hotels – the product of his budding imagination. Three years later he created his first piece of furniture: a rack for his stereo system. As a teenager he dabbled in graffiti and street art, which ultimately inspired him to consider a career in design. Parini then applied to study at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in Milan. At first, he wanted to become a graphic designer, but a professor convinced him to consider the “third dimension” and Parini completed his bachelor’s degree in industrial design.

Parini’s work received its first major accolades in Lausanne, where he obtained his master’s degree in product design at the University of Art and Design (ECAL) and created his “Brass Ensemble”. Although it may sound like a performance group, the Brass Ensemble is actually an elegant table lamp made of brass and aluminium. The ingenious construction features pneumatics for elegantly easy adjustment. Parini’s creation charmed design experts and was even featured in a 2012 edition of the well-known magazine Wallpaper.

Following his studies, Parini worked as a model maker for architecture in Geneva, as an industrial designer in Paris, and spent five months in South America. After some consideration, however, Parini scrapped his original plan to relocate to Brazil: “Industrial designers simply find a better environment to develop their craft in Europe.” 

Now, Parini wants to tap into the full range of those opportunities with Metallo Dolce. That was what led him to seek out Creative Hub coaching in 2016. In Creative Link workshops, Parini not only learned how to launch his business as a product designer, but also how to get it started on the right track. That recipe for success includes a razor-sharp brand profile. In this respect, Parini is especially grateful to his coach Andreas Caluori: “His minimalist questionnaires force you to create clear, succinct statements about yourself, your brand and your product. This process is incredibly helpful when it comes to marketing activities down the road.” 

Parini’s advice for all newcomers to Creative Hub’s coaching workshops: “Learn as much as you possibly can! It’s an incredibly valuable resource.” Parini adds: “When you come home after your sessions, don’t just head to the couch – stay focused and keep pushing yourself to improve further!”

Giulio Parini’s professional journey will continue as well. In 2018 he wants to take Metallo Dolce across the Swiss border and offer his lamp shades in France and Italy. Additional lightweight products are in the works: Nine new candle holders have already joined the collection. 

Il dolce far design.