This New Outdoor Collection Marks a Decade of Fruitful Collaboration

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When Vincent Van Duysen was appointed creative director at the Italian furniture empire Molteni&C in 2016, his background brought a rigorous yet domestic vision to a company already steeped in Modernist tradition. Rather than treating furniture as isolated objects, Van Duysen saw each piece as part of a larger spatial narrative. “I am not a product designer,” Van Duysen says. “I always see the bigger picture and how these pieces fit into everyday life.” 

Looking back over his 10-year tenure at the company, the Belgian architect and designer has married his signature precision with a commitment to comfort, pushing creative boundaries along the way. From his first pieces at Molteni&C to Soleva, the outdoor collection set to debut this year, proportion, timelessness, and a human-centric philosophy have remained at the heart of every piece he creates. 

From the outset, Van Duysen sought to foreground a quality of life he often describes as “the art of living.” If there’s one piece that perfectly captures the spirit of this decade-long partnership, it is Paul, the sofa he conceived at the outset of his creative directorship in 2016. Paul’s deeper, relaxed proportions were unconventional at the time, challenging established seating typologies, while oversize cushions, drawn from Van Duysen’s earlier residential work, introduced a sense of adaptability. “We designed this sofa with cushions that you could move, lean on, or lounge with, using them however you like. The cushion became a distinctive decorative element that made Paul a success,” he says. Its modularity allowed the sofa to evolve, integrating side tables and new configurations without losing its character. “These pieces not only have to look beautiful,” he insists. “They also have to guarantee a sense of comfort.” 

Educated in Ghent, Belgium, during the height of postmodernism, Van Duysen embraced its experimental spirit early on before refining his signature style into one of restraint. “This purity, this timelessness, this focus on sincere forms is still part of my DNA,” he says. “But over the years, my work has become more layered. I wouldn’t call it decorative, but it has grown richer in materials and details. That crossover and synergy has created the perfect formula for our collaboration and the designs born from that shared philosophy.” 

This shift in his vision is especially noticeable in the collections marking the 10-year milestone of Van Duysen and Molteni&C’s partnership. Among them, Soleva channels the signature sleekness and simplicity of his oeuvre, but with an unexpected twist. The six-piece collection comprises a meticulously crafted range of seating, including two- and three-seater sofas, an armchair, and dining chair, alongside a sun bed and stool. Built from just three core elements—aluminum tubes, soft cushions, and recycled ecological panels—it reflects Van Duysen’s intuitive process. The beauty is in the detail: The tubular loops reference Bauhaus and Modernist influences, yet the result feels unexpectedly fluid and organic. “I like the juxtaposition between my purist vision and pieces that lean toward something more decorative,” Van Duysen explains. “I wouldn’t call it luxurious, but I would say it’s more layered.”

Frames are powder-coated in colors titled Nuvia White or Selva Green, while vertical slats are made from marine plywood, an eco-friendly, recycled material, selected for its durability and flexibility. The cushions are understated and upholstered in durable outdoor performance fabrics for both comfort and longevity. “You can already see there is a depth to these new collections this year,” Van Duysen adds. “But still, it’s me.” After more than 40 years in practice and a decade at Molteni&C, this partnership has become a defining chapter in Van Duysen’s career. “What we’ve achieved in 10 years is insane,” he says. “The speed at which things have come together has shaped not only the company’s growth, but my own as well.” Ten years in, he knows his story with the brand is far from over. “I still want to inspire the world as much as the world inspires me,” Van Duysen concludes. “And this is something I can do with Molteni&C.”