Exceptional workshops

For the 1869 collection, in limited edition, Maison Matisse wanted to give designers the freedom to choose the craftsmen who would bring their vases to life. The relationship of trust, often established between them over the years, allowed them to translate the idea and character of their creations as faithfully as possible. In a spirit of sharing, this three-way collaboration between Maison Matisse, the designers and their craftsmen, echoes the heritage of Matisse and gives life to unique pieces.

Let's take you back to the 1970s. A Fine Arts graduate with his own studio, Alessio Sarri was on course for a fairly anonymous ceramist's career before a paragliding trip changed his life. After flying over Monte Cimone, in Emilia-Romagna, he met Matteo Thun, an architecture enthusiast who took him into the design world by producing a new kind of vase: the Rara Avis. That's when everything changed.

By experimenting and taming impossible shapes, Alessio Sarri turned his studio into a lab and instantly stood out from his fellow potters. He says "they were committed to the endless reproduction of copies of copies" while he wanted to give a patina worthy of an industrial series to handcrafted and totally unique pieces. A signature that brought him together with Ettore Sottsass who loved the vibrations you could only get from objects by Alessio Sarri.

The early 80s saw Alessio living the glory days of the famous Memphis movement. Sottsass aside, his name is still associated as being one of the foremost members along with Nathalie du Pasquier and George J. Sowden.

Just some of the creators whose unique lines Alessio Sarri has put his own spin on. The young generation of designers covet his studio for his talent and ability to make each piece a world of sensitive experiences which is why the designer Alessandro Mendini and Maison Matisse chose it to make three limited-edition vases.

Nestled between two hills amidst fairytale rivers in the Venetian mountains, the Bosa Trade ceramic studio opened in Borso Del Grappa in 1976. This is where Italo Bosa produced his first products: pieces made entirely by hand in a wide range of colors, precious metals and never-before-seen tones. True to their long-standing artisan legacy, items by Bosa Trade bring together age-old techniques and an innovative spirit.

Italo Bosa made a name for himself and created his own signature style by exploring the realms of possibility in ceramics before handing over to his daughters Francesca and Daniela. Bosa Trade has become a real family business fueled by a constant drive for innovation. It stands out for its ability to achieve the unachievable, with pieces in large sizes and complex molds. These pieces are regularly exhibited in the best museums around the world and in partnership with the best-known international design names such as Luca Nichetto or Patricia Urquiola.

But over the course of their collaborations, Bosa Trade has nurtured a unique bond with Jaime Hayon. Through technical excellence and a love for new lines, the Spanish designer and Italian studio have built a universe radiating optimism and joie de vivre together. That's why it was a natural choice for Maison Matisse and "the Almodóvar of design" to commission Bosa Trade to make the limited-edition pieces designed by Jaime Hayon.