The folding door made its debut in the 50s, inspired by the ideas of various architects on modern housing. The Italian company Dooor builds on this tradition, tapping into the experience gained in the family business. We talk to Dooor's founder, Francesco Mascarucci, to learn more about the brand's history, its recent participation in Milan Design Week and its aspirations for the future.
Could you tell us about the history of the brand?
'Dooor taps into the experience gained in the family business, a company specialising in the production of folding doors founded by my grandfather in 1962, to offer a restyled and highly sophisticated version of this system. The folding door made its debut in the 50s, inspired by the ideas of various architects on modern housing such as Gianfranco Frattini, Gio Ponti, Joe Colombo. It is a furnishing accessory that can be used to open up, divide or screen off an indoor area according to the desired layout. The Dooor brand was born in 2019 with the artistic direction entrusted to the Studio Calvi Brambilla and Partners and the support of Studio Zaven to take care of the corporate image.'
In what markets is the brand active, and how are the market conditions right now?
'The aesthetic appeal, undeniable functionality, total customisation and constant support from the technical department have contributed to Dooor's global desirability and uniqueness.
To date, besides Italy and Europe, Dooor has carried out projects in Canada, US, Dubai, Israel, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia, and continues to expand abroad by participating in national and international trade fairs. Many international professionals are no longer used to consider the folding partitions as solutions that turn out to be decorative, easy to install and technically unparalleled, so the market is currently re-opening and Dooor has no actual competitors that have reached its level.'
You were recently at Salone del Mobile in Milan. What did you think of the fair?
'We believe that the Salone del Mobile is a platform not to be missed and a very valuable incubator for interesting encounters. Dooor brand is relatively new for a big part of the Salone's audience, and it is important for us to intercept these brand-unaware professionals and to show them the functional and decorative potential of Dooor's systems. Apparently, this year many visitors attended both the Salone and the Fuorisalone, which is an encouraging trend.'
What products were on show? And how were they received?
'At the Salone, we showcased an ensemble of doors that represent the different kinds of openings (lateral, central, bilateral, multiple), the possibility to have linear and curved upper tracks, the heights a Dooor system can reach (we had doors from 1 meter to 5 meters tall), the possibility to have double-sided claddings, the sound-absorbing effect of some of our claddings, and just a glimpse of the wide range of textures and colours that Dooor's cladding collection can offer.
Visitors were amazed by the playfulness of Dooor's installations a both the Salone and the Fuorisalone (Alcova in Villa Borsani also was a great hit), but they also understood the architectural value and the high functionality of Dooor systems. We have the impression that the brand's desirability grew consistently.'
What's in store for you now? Are there any future fairs on the program?
'We're pretty restless: after the Milano Design Week, Dooor participated at ICFF in New York and Clerkenwell Design Week in London. The next fairs further down the line will be Find Asia in Singapore (late September) and Batimat in Paris (30/9-3/10). We are focusing on selected international markets to expand and grow awareness of our brand as well as to establish new collaborations.'
More information:
Dooor
Via Ugo La Malfa, 27/D
61032 Fano – PU, Italy
[email protected]
www.dooor.it