Pushing the boundaries
- Daniele is reinventing his father's blacksmith workshop
- He combines traditional techniques with contemporary ones
- He collaborates with emerging and established designers
The second generation is not always able to maintain and evolve the family business. This is not the case for Daniele Mingardo, who is successfully reinventing the traditional metal workshop founded by his father Ilario in 1970. Growing up in the blacksmith workshop, where he started learning the craft at the age of 18 years, Daniele took inspiration from the masters of functional design, as well as from the more recent makers movement, and grew the business, which was purely focused on high-end custom made pieces before him. Daniele opened the doors to new collaborations with architects and designers, creating a collection of handmade and numbered design objects named Designer Faber. What has not changed is Mingardo’s passion and respect for the unlimited potential of metal.
Interview
- How did you start your craft?
- I was 18 years old when I started learning the craft from the artisans at the workshop founded by my father. I learned all the basic workings but I also had the luck to meet architect Tobia Scarpa, who was collaborating with us for a project. His love and respect for the material had a strong influence on me.
- What is the link between artisans and designers?
- My father transmitted to me the belief that an object comes from a specific need, and there is no one better than an artisan to foresee the critical issues linked to any work. But later I understood the importance of an art direction, the collaboration with architect Aldo Parisotto allowed us to create the collection Designer Faber.
- Do you prefer bespoke projects or your own?
- Custom made has always been our core business, and my passion is to push the boundaries of bespoke: to be able to satisfy the needs of a client with a tailormade approach. All our products and projects can be customized. I also like to experiment, metal has a great potential and it still surprises me sometimes.
- How do you envision the future of your craft?
- The future is bright for those who are skilled and passionate about their metier. The demand for well made products is always growing, and it’s a pity that not all second generations are able to continue their family businesses. The real challenge is having skilled and well trained artisans.
Daniele Mingardo is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2013 and he started teaching in 2021
Where
Daniele Mingardo
