Alberto Rugiano welcomes us into his showroom in via Trevano in Lugano, and the first impression is truly astonishing: nothing is left to chance, everything comes together perfectly—the lights, the materials, the colors. For anyone passionate about design and furnishings, the world of Rugiano truly makes the heart race. The owner shows us the two floors of the showroom, two very different yet complementary exhibition spaces: "On the lower floor, in addition to the exhibition and a materials library, I wanted to create La Lounge, a meeting place for industry professionals, where they can find synergies over a coffee, drawing inspiration from their surroundings. It's an innovative concept, and I'm proud to be its pioneer here in Ticino."
Let's start from the beginning faI'm giving a leap back over a period of about 20 years: qual Is your earliest childhood memory related to your father's company? Is there a sound or smell that immediately takes you back there?
"Look, thinking about this interview, this is exactly what came to mind: for me, the company symbolized the beginning of the weekend. I'd finish school on Friday and couldn't wait for Saturday to go to the company with my dad, where I enjoyed doing manual labor. I stood out from my peers because until I was 12, I spent my time creating my own collection, "Rugiano Junior." First, I used plywood and fretwork, then I switched to leather. I lived with enthusiasm, from one weekend to the next, counting the hours until I could return to the workshop and continue with my creations. Did you know that I even sold several pieces on eBay?"
It seems clear to me that an inclination for design and craftsmanship, combined with a certain business spirit, were already present from an early age.
Dpoint-blank question: at this point I imagine that for you Would it have been unthinkable to do anything else in life on a professional level?
You're right, I think my career path was clearly defined from the start, but I can also tell you that I pursued it with great determination. I confess that I wanted to go to art school, but I was a bit conditioned by the sciences. However, at university, I took the lead again: I studied architecture for a year in Mendrisio, and it was there that I fell in love with Ticino. I discovered a region that felt akin to my personality. Then I finished my studies at the IED in Milan in Interior Design, but my mind was already here. Despite having an already established family business, I always wanted my independence. I chose to open my business here to connect it to the family business, but with a personal, autonomous identity that would represent my way of seeing the world.
You mentioned Mendrisio and Ticino. Young people often look for citiesà “electrifying”, you instead chose a more peaceful reality like the Switzerland. What did you think? impressed?
I was immediately struck by the mentality and way of life. I have strong ties to Italy through my adolescence and my family, but for my own life, I was seeking serenity and security—including geopolitical security—which are at their highest levels here. Professionally, I saw an opportunity in my field in Ticino. I sensed the possibility of entering the high-end market more effectively than in Italy. Today, we consider ourselves unique here. When it comes to design, there's a lot of room to fill, both in the residential and luxury hospitality sectors, and my choice was driven precisely by the desire to be a local reference point with an international reach. This was achieved while maintaining a family approach, where the owners interact with the client, we get to know each other, and we build something special together. I find that family-run businesses always have that extra something in maintaining unique connections with their clients.
So Your day starts early and often across the border. Can you tell us about your typical morning?
My day starts at 6:30 a.m. with breakfast, then I get ready and leave around 7:15 for Mariano Comense, where our headquarters are. Around 8:00 a.m., I have a meeting with my father and my closest collaborators, then everyone begins their workday, working on their various departments. Mine is more commercial, both residential and hospitality-related, a sector in which we specialize in Lugano. One example is the beautiful project and related supplies for the Federale and Meta restaurants.
The latter bears the Rugiano signature throughout, from the Canaletto walnut wall paneling laid in a herringbone pattern, through the tables, chairs, and bookcases, to the decorative objects such as vases and sculptures. The star of the project is undoubtedly the ceiling light in the main room, conceived as an artistic installation that illuminates the space with numerous plexiglass pieces of different sizes and colors arranged in a rain-like pattern. Rugiano has been present on the market for several decades, becoming a point of reference for many other companies inspired by its designs.
And between a trade fair and a catalogue, I imagine it's not uncommon to glimpse furniture clearly inspired by "Rugiano". How do you react when faced with the evidence? Are you proud or do you just give up?
"It makes me proud. If they copy you, it's because you're doing well. Besides that, there are also so-called fakes, those that pass themselves off as originals but aren't. And here I can tell you that our loyal customers would never buy a piece like this; it wouldn't make sense. Our customers know how much research goes into each piece, and they appreciate its uniqueness."
Starting from the copies, by inference, I'd like to ask you a somewhat provocative question: in this era, where AI is increasingly gaining ground in various sectors, aren't you afraid that a software could create a perfect sofa in a few moments, replacing the flesh-and-blood artist?
"This is indeed an issue we need to address; it's part of our reality. I want to be positive about it, and I believe artificial intelligence should be used to its full advantage, to be more efficient in certain phases. But a product that's 100% industrially produced, in my opinion, will never be able to compete with a handcrafted product. I believe in tailoring, and I trust it will never be lacking."
You have a surname that è a global brand: do you think it is Was it an accelerator or did it sometimes weigh on you?
I've always tried to look on the bright side. Rugiano is a company my father created from scratch, and I grew up immersed in the culture of detail and beauty. But this was precisely the challenge: to take that immense wealth of experience and bring it here with a business that was 100% my own. Today, my company aims to enhance the family brand by expanding it into the Swiss and German-speaking markets, while also creating an independent space in the world of hospitality and high-end private residences. It's an accelerator, of course, but I've always been the Alberto who wanted to carve out a slice of the world for himself. Aerre Design Projects is precisely this: my project, my path, my inspiration, which blends perfectly with the vision of the company my father founded.
And the facts today prove him completely right. Ambitious enough and with great respect for what his father created from scratch, he also shares a passion with the head of the family that allows them to spend quality time together, without necessarily having to discuss what's happening in the company.
One of your greatest passions, besides design, is on your wrist, right?
"Yes, exactly: watches are a real language between my father and me. I'm very grateful to be able to share this passion with him. Working in the same company, it's not always easy to switch off and find other topics to discuss. For us, watches are just that: being together and getting excited about something that's separate from our professional lives."
Alberto's life moves fast. Between meetings, clients, artisans to serve, business trips, and extracurricular commitments, the ticking of the clock inevitably marks every minute of his day.
When the professional world gets too noisy, where do you go for some silence?
"On the green, always. Golf is fundamental to me. It's a sport that requires incredible mental discipline, very similar to that needed in business. In golf, you're alone, yourself against the course, and this helps me clear my mind. While walking from hole to hole, the best ideas for a project often come to me, and I won't deny that I've often found new clients on the greens, too."
We leave the leisure areas and return to the company: thethe border between class and "too much” can really be thin. Are there any current design trends that bother you?
In almost ten years in this world, I've seen it all. We've moved from a lavish, almost ostentatious era—the classic "bling-bling" where the brand had to be shouted out—to a much cleaner trend, the so-called Quiet Luxury. Today, customers seek timeless products that combine sophisticated materials and refined workmanship; this is the detail visible only to the expert eye. I'm bothered by ostentation for its own sake, the kind that lacks substance. Our collection, for example, has a contemporary, international identity that doesn't need to shout to get noticed. Class today is knowing how to remove, not add, so that it lasts through the years.
Speaking of bling-bling and flashy brands, vand parallels between your world and the world of fashion?
"Fashion is always one step ahead; it's our guiding light. It arrives years earlier with colors, textures, and embroidery. I remember when furniture with embroidered diamonds was all the rage, clearly inspired by Chanel. But there's a fundamental difference: speed. Fashion is seasonal, frenetic, and passes in the blink of an eye. Design, on the other hand, must create pieces that stand out and remain on the market for years. We take inspiration from the runway, but we must translate it into something timeless. This is the real challenge: to be contemporary without becoming obsolete after one season." A classy tailored suit as a dress code on workdays, and the luxury of being able to indulge in more casual outfits on days off, but attention to shoes and a watch are never lacking even on vacation. "I believe that in men, they are the touch of class that cannot be ignored."
Thus concludes our chat with Alberto Rugiano, a young entrepreneur who bears the name of a major brand but has had the courage to add a personal touch, aiming for further expansion.
