Manufacturers or Brands?
This question leads us to a crossroads between two different destinations, each requiring distinct approaches to objectives, means, channels, hierarchies, management, and investments. In the furniture industry, one of the main divergences between these two paths manifests itself in the product universe: in the nature of the object, its visual presentation, and its market positioning.
Giving a decisive answer to this question is therefore fundamental. And this is where a key principle for MM Companycomes into play: “Be yourself, but not too much.” What matters to us is creating something that is objectively right for the brand we work with, not something we subjectively ‘like’. A creation, therefore, can be right or wrong depending on the predetermined purpose. For example, products that blindly chase commercial trends might work perfectly for a manufacturer who needs to respond quickly to market demand. But this approach would be disastrous for a brand, potentially diluting its identity and creating positioning conflicts.
When we talk about brands, MM Company’s core business, product design is a silent but powerful branding tool, capable of expressing and telling its own story. In contrast, manufacturers design products without the need to build collections that tell a vision. A reflection on current times is necessary: in the contemporary design landscape, the quality of a single product is no longer enough.
Today, what makes the difference is the coherence of the whole. It’s a company’s ability to build a recognizable imagery through collections that, beyond responding to a function, transmit a vision. For MM Company’s creative duo, Barbieri Magalini, designing a collection means building a language. It’s not just about designing products, but about giving form to a narrative made of aesthetics, materials, proportions, and details that the brand carries forward with coherence. This is why product design, when approached strategically, becomes a branding tool: silent, but capable of settling in the visual memory of those who encounter it. In this sense, design coherence positions itself as a competitive asset: it allows for building a strong and recognizable presence, even in the most crowded markets.
Sitia, the human contract
Our strategic approach to product design as branding is perfectly illustrated by our work with Sitia.
We worked along two main tracks. First, we embraced the “brand path,” carefully curating the catalog by removing products that lacked recognition value and risked weakening brand identity or creating positioning confusion. Second, we focused on identity: Sitia’s Brand DNA centers on “The Human Contract”, the brand’s commitment to prioritizing human, individual dimensions.
Consistently with this spirit, we acted on multiple levels: removed or restyled products not aligned with the identity positioning; updated material samples; revised communication materials, selecting colors, textures, and styling for photographic shoots destined for social media, website, and catalogs; redefined the brand’s presence in physical spaces, intervening in trade shows and events; rethought Collection briefs for designers.
As the brand’s creative directors, we’re involved not just in product design but in strategic design governance. Whether we’re designing collections directly or coordinating external designers, our role is ensuring coherence, vision, and alignment with the brand’s DNA.
Among the various products Barbieri Magalini created for Sitia is the Armut collection: tables with “human” forms – organic, welcoming, and flexible, reflecting people’s evolving needs. The design centers on modular legs that can be combined in countless configurations, creating endless tabletop variations.
