Craftmanship and design: the B9 makers
SuperDuper, Baba Ceramics e Mani del Sud
Thanks to their passion and talent, these three makers create objects that sit between art and craftmanship. Through their work they light up the everyday with a touch of uniqueness: the bow-ties of Mani del Sud, the hats of SuperDuper Hats, and the tableware of Baba Ceramics. The Makers represent creativity, one of the founding concepts of the Manifattura Tabacchi project: using innovation to take us from the everyday to the extraordinary.
Mani del Sud
Raffaele Stella Brienza is a designer and the founder of Mani del Sud, a project that was born from his desire to reconnect with his own origins and family history, bringing them into the present day. After working for many years as a fashion designer, for clothing and accessories, Raffaele decided to develop his own personal project, where he could express his flair and elegance. Mani del Sud marries the traditions of menswear fashion with touches of originality, such as the precious filigree detailing on bow ties. All of the Mani del Sud accessories are archetypes of contemporary elegance.
“The Manifattura Project allows Florence to speak in a new language. It allows the citizens to live within this new language and it means we can express ourselves in these spaces. For me, it’s an incredible opportunity for Florence and the people that live here. I like it because it rightly gives credit to the metropolitan aspect of Florence, which is often considered as a bit conservative, a bit too tied to its own history. Manifattura is a metropolitan hub in the heart of the city.”
Raffaele Stelle Brienza, founder Mani del Sud
SuperDuper Hats
SuperDuper was set up in 2011 and was born of the passion and perseverance of Ilaria and Veronica Cornacchini and Matteo Gioli, who wanted to rediscover the art of millinery, learning the artform from an expert milliner who had been making hats from a young age, Anna Niccolini.
Combining this great experience and traditional techniques with innovation and modern design, SuperDuper has swiftly found an international market, with their hats gracing the heads of celebrities such as Ben Harper, Brad Pitt and Jovanotti, as well as those who simply have a passion for fine hats.
The brands products combine the highest craftmanship with contemporary design, for a result that fascinates from first sight.
“The Manifattura Tabacchi project is like a blank page. What enthused us right from the start about the project is that it’s being allowed to grow in its own way. It’s something that is really open to new proposals and ideas. I think it’s a great opportunity for the city.”
Matteo Gioli, co-founder SuperDuper
Baba Ceramics
Baba Ceramics was born from Babara Arcieri’s passion for ceramics. To make her dream come true she left her job as an architect in London to start a new adventure with Baba Ceramics, working in the spaces at B9. Her training and sense of aesthetic can be seen in the way her works take on simple but elegant forms and natural finishes, giving her creations unique textures.
Working for the most part with tableware, Barbara adds the beauty of art and design to everyday life, for her it is fundamental that her products are used and that they form part of the daily life for the people that own them.
“My thoughts are that virtually every city could use a project like this, because it’s absolutely a vital place for the city and for those who are involved with it. It embodies elements that for me are fundamental for architectural renovation and urban redevelopment. So, the symbolic concepts, from my point of view are: culture, people, and the union of these two elements.”
Barbara Arcieri, founder Baba Ceramics