Cassina

Cassina sits at the center of Italian modernism, a tradition defined by structural honesty, proportional discipline, and deep investment in production quality. The brand operates across two distinct programs: new commissions from living designers, and I Maestri, its archive of canonical twentieth-century works produced under license from the estates and foundations of their original authors. Together, these programs form a continuous argument about what furniture can be.

I Maestri is Cassina's program of canonical reissues, produced under exclusive license from the foundations and estates of their original designers. It includes work conceived by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, and Gerrit Rietveld, among others. Each piece is made to the original specifications, using materials and joinery methods consistent with the design's first production. These are not reproductions; they are authorized continuations of the original work.

Across Cassina's range, structure and surface are rarely treated as separate decisions. Joinery is often left visible as a compositional element. Leather is cut and stitched to become the form itself, not simply a covering. Wood is selected for grain as much as for strength. This integration of making and appearance is a consistent thread across decades of production, whether the piece originates in the 1920s or was commissioned recently.

Cassina's range extends well beyond chairs and sofas. It includes beds, low tables, side tables, mirrors, and decorative objects such as handcrafted Venetian glass vases and porcelain trays. Some of these objects carry the same design lineage as the furniture, translating architectural symbols or craft traditions into tabletop form. The breadth of the collection allows a coherent design language to carry through an entire interior.

The I Maestri reissues carry the authority of the original program, pieces resolved through a specific historical moment and set of constraints. Contemporary Cassina commissions bring that same production rigor to designers working now, often with more flexibility in material and configuration. The choice is largely one of register: the reissues hold a fixed, complete identity, while newer designs tend to offer broader customization and a quieter presence in more varied interiors.

Most Cassina seating is available in a range of leather and fabric upholstery, with options varying by model. Some pieces, particularly those in the I Maestri program, offer specific materials tied to the original design's intent, such as saddle leather or cowhide. Others in the contemporary range offer broader palette choices. Structural materials, including wood species and metal finishes, also vary by piece. Working with a design specialist is the clearest path to understanding the options for a specific model.

Several Cassina designs have a documented history in institutional and civic settings. The Chandigarh furniture program, designed by Pierre Jeanneret for government offices, courts, and assembly halls, is among the most significant examples. Contemporary pieces in the range are also specified for hotels, corporate interiors, and hospitality environments. Suitability depends on the specific model; not every residential design is configured for high-traffic contract use.

Cassina holds the exclusive worldwide license to produce the furniture program conceived by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand, granted in collaboration with the Fondation Le Corbusier. This means every piece in that series is made under direct authorization, with access to original documentation and specifications. The program includes some of the most studied objects of the twentieth century, among them the LC4 chaise longue and the LC10 table, each still in continuous production.