HISTORY, PASSION, SUCCESS

Eighty years of history are, without a doubt, a precious and essential fund of experience to which I am bound. I feel indebted to the previous generations who have entrusted me with the task of preserving, pursuing and expanding the company of which I am today the Owner and Artistic Director.

Way back in 1932, my grandfather Gino Chiarugi built a factory bearing his name covering 3,000 square metres, where he began to produce furniture for drawing rooms and bedrooms on an industrial scale, creating employment for many inhabitants in the area and new development prospects for the area itself.

There was not even a name attached to the area and even military maps use the Chiarugi furniture factory as a reference. This area is now called Ponsacco. By the fifties the company employed 150 people. Driven by his desire for growth, grandfather Gino approached the national market for the first time by participating at the ‘Mostra Campionaria’ exhibition in Milan, the most advanced showcase in our country at the time. Chiarugi’s presence caused a true sensation: this was the same year in which the legendary Fiat 500 was presented and Chiarugi took its own ‘Sala 500’ to the exhibition: the success was such that the renowned furniture manufacturers of the Brianza area near to Milan offered over 5,000,000 Italian Liras to “hide” the slogan from view which had monopolised the attention of everyone at the exhibition: THE CHIARUGI 500 HAS ARRIVED.

Grandfather Gino died in a tragic car accident in 1955, leaving not only the company without a leader, but also a family consisting of 5 women, a mother and 4 daughters, the youngest of which was my mother, aged only 13. The task of continuing the business was taken on by some of my uncles, until my mother took command, marrying my father Franco Dolfi in 1960. The course of development took off once more. After working his way up from the bottom as a furniture representative, in 1964 he founded a company which manufactured console tables and framed mirrors, which he succeeded in exporting worldwide.

In the nineties the trend for arte povera exploded: a style of furniture for which Tuscan manufacturers show a particular flair and are much appreciated. This acted as a launching pad for the name Dolfi, making it famous worldwide as a manufacturer of both classic wooden furniture and padded furniture. In 1990 it was my turn. I joined the company at the age of just 19 and began a professional career path which led me to deal with the operational side of all production phases, from the most humble of tasks to the artistic direction, which is now my major role, naturally in addition to being the owner-director and driving force behind the company.

Together with my wife Antonella, I created the two collections which today rank as the top of the entire Dolfi range and represent our investment for the future: The FD Collection is a series of contemporary furniture items, whilst the ‘Sogni di Matilde’ collection, inspired by my daughter Matilde, is one of romantic bedrooms for both young and older children.

The distinguishing mark which represents us best, from a manufacturing point of view, is the possibility to personalize almost our entire production, in terms of size, colour and finishing, and even the possibility to create personalized fabrics using our customers’ own drawings or logos. From a commercial point of view, Dolfi has always been present at the most important national exhibitions held in Milan and Verona, with a booth covering 350 square metres, offering a superior visibility and aesthetic impact. Our company is also well introduced in the Russian market, which offers excellent business opportunities for the type of furniture we produce.For increased brand awareness,
Dolfi is planning to advertise in the most important furniture magazines in Italy and Russia.