All’Origine. "Capitalise on everything you learn"

The background story

With wow-inducing picture frames, children’s mobiles, fish-shaped tableware and blown-glass vases, most likely from Venice or even beyond, All’Origine throws its net wide, sourcing 20th-Century pieces from right across Europe. Its vast collection is stored in a hangar in the Italian town of Imola, just a stone’s throw from Bologna. Available to be viewed on-site as well as in an annual 500-page catalogue, this ready-made edit of modest flea-market finds ups the design ante through presence in numbers. Presented to resemble an artistic installation, the astonishingly curated selection also features bespoke pieces from Art Director Corina Jucan. Each year, guest curators are invited to make the objects look even more unique. This is a place where people pick up finds in the same way they pick up art, going home with pieces they never knew they wanted.

The rocky start

Davide Mariani : “In March 2020, Italy became the first Western country to be put into lockdown. Proud of having managed to keep all our employees on the books, we nonetheless had to tackle the problem of sourcing new stock. Our clients all started contacting us once the initial panic had subsided, but our suppliers all local collectors scattered right across Europe and who weren’t in the habit of working remotely couldn’t do anything to help. Our business is all about hitting the road searching for objects and connecting with people, discovering and purchasing pieces and then putting them in a bag to bring home. That was no longer possible. Then to top it all off, Maison&Objet Paris was cancelled as a result of the pandemic. That really was the final straw, as the trade fair is where we go to meet up with all our international clients. (We make no secret of how much we love Maison&Objet. Our Instagram page is peppered with references to the event. Tell us if you think it’s too much!).” 

The turning point

Davide Mariani : “Massive thanks to all those who found the way to adapt to remote working, as it makes our lives a whole lot easier today. The real blessing in disguise, however, was that whilst our activity had ground to a halt, we were able to shut ourselves away in our warehouse and take a really close look at what we already had. There were notably endless portraits, paintings and embroideries that we didn’t really want, and that had simply arrived in the frames we had purchased. We began cataloguing them by type, just as we do with everything else, and it turned out to be a true revelation! The embroideries sell as they are, and we’re now constantly on the lookout for more to add to our stock, as people absolutely love them. The portraits, meanwhile, all those canvases instilled with mysterious memories of forgotten faces, ended up becoming the creative ingredients for the work of design duo PetriPaselli, our 2023 guest curators.”

The moral of the story

Davide Mariani : “We’re far more resilient than we think! Especially if we surround ourselves with the right people. If you’re impulsive (as so many entrepreneurs are), rely on someone more analytical to devise new strategies, try them out and evaluate the results. Trial and error is all part of running a business. When you’re young, you tend to see errors as a personal failure. Problems are a healthy part of any business, as long as they don’t lead to bankruptcy.”

Discover the brand: All’Origine on MOM