We met Nicoletta Mondin, at the helm of MM Lampadari since 2021. In a virtual rotation with her mother Lenzia, owner of the company for more than 40 years, she shares the combative yet proactive spirit 

 

In Veneto, the Italian area of craftsmanship where small companies have transformed their skills into successful companies is MM Lampadari, an internationally recognized excellence in indoor lighting. Since 1966, the company has been interpreting the evolution of decorative indoor lamps, initially classic, then recently with a contemporary line, too. Each of the devices expresses and represents the ancient tradition of metalworking, typical of the Northern Region, in combination with the millennial history of Venetian blown glass, the Italian soul of decoration recognized everywhere. The know-how rooted in the artisan taste, combined with technology, trends of the moment, and the passion for work, with the firm desire to stand out from the others, is every day a strong motivation to focus on the offer and continue to experiment.

 

How do you produce unique and refined products?

“We create lights that stimulate emotions and adapt to the language of any environment, enhancing its stylistic features. Our strong points are dynamism, artisanal approach and continuous research. All that allows us to reach high level Italian and foreign markets in private residences and accommodation facilities, including museums and ancient palaces. I might be considered a novice in the market, but I “breath light” from an early age, having spent much of my childhood wandering through the offices and production departments and often following my parents to fairs and business dinners.  Almost without realizing it, I probably internalized many notions about the sector or work, and I learned that curiosity and listening are essential to develop new ideas.”

 

So, years of experience in decorative lighting and custom-made creations pass from hand to hand to renew the company history…

“We have always taken care of everything, from designing in direct line with the client to spurring the creativity of our interior designers to obtain products speaking of love for light. Fundamental to achieving quality are internal collaborators and trusted and experienced people as part of a proven and large-scale production chain.”

The company for family ties collaborates since the beginning with one of the most authoritative glassworks in the Venetian area, a supplier of the world’s top players in furniture and lighting, and boasts the support of a dynamic and prestigious company in the District of Nove (Vicenza) for the production of ceramic parts. But not only the main ones: all the partners are historical collaborators, well-rooted in the territory and quality suppliers. The result is the production of unique lamps made at an artisan level but with a design and production of a large company.

Each item is followed from the processing to the finishing in compliance with regulations and certifications to offer a service sewn to the customer’s specific needs. In addition to the creations in the catalogue, MM Lampadari can create tailor-made products and this versatility typical of Made in Italy translates into a list of projects made in Italy and abroad that represent a source of joy and great pride for the company.

 

So many projects. Would you like to mention any?

“To cite one project rather than another would be ungenerous. Each one carries a different challenge with it, and it is always enthusiastic for us to see it realized using ad hoc installations. For example, we are waiting for the opening of a hotel in London, to see an important delivery we made in January of oversized custom products designed by the Spanish designer Hayon. We pre-assembled them all in-house for the final quality control, and it has been exciting. Seeing them installed will be fantastic!”

 

What are the secrets to the success of “business craftsmanship” today?

“Have management that is flexible, with total control of production to be able to guarantee quality and tangible certified results. It is also important to properly communicate with the customer to make him feel that he speaks with a qualified, competent, present and reliable partner”:

 

How do you manage to balance tradition and new trends in the world of lighting?

“In my opinion, there are different aspects acting in a potentially successful dialogue. The ancient arts of metalworking and blown glass, so as all processes requiring the active participation of human capital have inestimable value and must be preserved. The requests are moving towards two specific targets: homologation as belonging, and uniqueness. We aim at the second aspect and by doing this, our roots represent the added value. All that enriched with technical and technological skills and the aim, therefore, to give new life to the function of the devices, while maintaining elegance and appeal unaltered.”

 

All this always leads to the “Made in Italy” concept.  What does this mean for you?

“Made in Italy incorporates expectations and guarantees but is often an abused concept and sometimes goes to the detriment of the supply chain. We often find ourselves having to defend our way of working and above all costs that are adequate for companies like ours, which produce everything in Veneto. These are concepts that are not fully understood. However, we keep believing in what we do and in the potential that Made in Italy represents.”

 

Suppliers, competency, versatility, reliability, but also the commercial part. All relevant aspects in reaching the final customer …

All our energies are channelled to produce devices that are attractive to clients who, let us face it, are overstimulated by information and offers. So, we need to rely on a well-proven team of collaborators who know how to respond to new challenges, aware of what our sector can offer. In the last two years, new figures have joined our company. Young people with a fresh mind and professionals active for years in the lighting sector for the support that only the experience gained in the field can give. We have also renewed the technical office and the sales team: both key points in customer service, always keeping an eye on the commercial aspect. The communication, even embellished with the best dress, goes first and foremost through the passion through which we transmit the love of our products.”