cc-tapis reminds me a sort of carpets Jean Paul Gaultier. Fantasy, experimentation, re-invention, break with coventional ideas starting from tradition (which exists but cannot be seen). A trio of friends including a girl of Persian origin, long trips to Nepal, the desire to innovate. A maximum creativity's artists and designers pool. Daniele Lora, architect and art director tells the story of these revolutionary carpets. They look like everything except usual carpets.

A carpet company that in a few years has upset the market's sector. What did this revolution trigger?
The modus operandi which distinguishes us is to always work looking forward and little backward (with consequent problems! :-)). Having said that, we started immediately with the aim of bringing carpet to be considered as a design element within a space design process, and not just as a mere decoration.

Daniele Lora, Nelcya Chamszadeh, Fabrizio Cantoni. Who does what?
We are the three souls of cc-tapis. But to be honest, everything is always subject to great sharing. I particularly deal with brand's art direction.

More than carpets, those by cc-tapis look, are, art works. How do you choose new collections authors? How far does their design freedom go?
It's essential for us to analyze different languages every time, we like to be inconsistent. We choose or are chosen by our designers for a simple and direct process of elective affinity, everything comes from ideas sharing, comparisons. We try not to set limits, especially during design phase.

How was it possible to merge this strongly contemporary aesthetic with a traditional “school” such as that of Nepalese or Tibetan carpets?
Certainly with an innovative use of materials, colors and communication. We have always tried to combine the slow and suspended world of Tibetan production with the speed of the creative world that distinguishes Milan.

Feathers collection reaches exceptional levels of difficulty and artistry, so much to wonder: how are these carpets made?
Feathers collection was a great challenge, detail is very precise, in order to obtain it, the knot's fineness is probably one of the highest ever made in recent years. Obviously it is not printed and like all carpets in cc-tapis collection, everything is strictly hand-knotted with the Tibetan knot technique, knot by knot. The slowness of the production process is an integral part of our proposal. A wise use of materials and silk with its iridescent effect help to obtain other infinite colors shades. A great job is also the three-dimensional refinement entirely carved by hand.

Cc-tapis, Cappellini, Superstudio: a memory of yours?
With Giulio Cappellini we recently returned to Superstudio (where all started 9 years ago! Who would have thought that :-)) with the Superloft project. We are always happy when our carpets are interpreted for different uses. We have many plans for the future but for now we are still very focused on carpet, I think there is still so much to do!

After the pandemic, there are those who imagine a slow, calm and simple world, and those who see the return of imagination and fast and individualistic creativity. Where will we go, in your opinion?
I am convinced this is still time to observe, perhaps too early to begin to understand. Having said that, I think ideas will run faster than before and probably actions slower. Will we communicate more and produce less?
We will increase the value of ideas, concepts... at the expense of quantity. Maybe.