Italian designer Samuele Mazza is behind the Louvre Gallery's Visionnaire collection, an assortment of neo-gothic-style furniture made from unconventional materials including reptile skin, chrome and crystal. The furniture and fashion designer was in town recently to promote the collection, which is produced and distributed by Italian brand Ipe Cavalli.
Which is your favourite item in the collection?
'The bear [a soft chair in the shape of a reclining black bear]. It's very relaxing and comfortable. It's a very strong expression of the theme I'm working on, which is neo-gothic. The style is a little dramatic and retro, and a little bit rock. It represents the European identity. I don't like to think of myself as just an Italian but a European.'
There's a lot of black and white in the collection. Why?
'Many years ago, like 30 years, wearing black for me was the beginning of being myself. It was the first time I decided for myself what to wear. Before that my mum bought me clothes. Then I grew up with this idea that black was the colour of my generation and personality. I don't like colours in the middle. I like black and white, grey and natural colours. Maybe I have some problem with colours. Chromophobia?
I don't know.'
Is it also an Italian thing?