How Contemporary Mexican Design is delving in the past to craft a better future
Thursday 15 January —
14:00
- 14:45
The Talks — Hall 3
Description
Passionate about timeless, Mexican design and craftsmanship, Alessio Nardi, co-founder of London-based interior architecture agency A-Nard, Paris-based Sebastien Reant, co-founder of furniture brand Luteca and Swiss-based Paulina Resendiz, founder of Basalto Collective, explain how they imagine contemporary interiors and design pieces inspired by Mexican heritage.
Nos partenaires : ITALIAN TRADE AGENCY
Participants
Alessio NardiFounder and Director - A-nrd
Paulina ReséndizFounder & Creative Director - Basalto Collective
Sébastien RéantCofounder - Luteca
Clara Le FortJournalist
Alessio Nardi
Founder and Director - A-nrd
Alessio Nardi is the founder of A-nrd, a London-based multi-disciplinary design studio specialising in commercial and hospitality interiors. Born in northern Italy between Milan and Lake Como, he developed an early passion for architecture, materiality, and craft traditions - influences that continue to shape his work today. After training in product and industrial design at Politecnico di Milano, Alessio moved to London for an Erasmus programme in furniture design, a pivotal experience that led him to build his career in the UK. Before establishing A-nrd in 2015, he worked across leading studios including Morph, Tord Boontje, and Lee Broom. Today, Alessio leads A-nrd with a design approach grounded in sensitivity, architectural detail, and bespoke craftsmanship, delivering highly considered interiors, lighting and furniture for clients across the hospitality, retail, and commercial sectors
Paulina Reséndiz
Founder & Creative Director - Basalto Collective
Based between Mexico and Switzerland, Paulina Reséndiz is a designer and curator exploring the intersection of craft, materiality, and cultural identity. She is the founder of Basalto Collective, a curatorial platform dedicated to contemporary design and craftsmanship. With a background in brand experience and furniture design, her practice collaborates with avant-garde designers and bridges their work into global design narratives through exhibitions and cultural projects.
Sébastien Réant
Cofounder - Luteca
Co-founder of LUTECA with his wife Amanda REANT, a furniture brand focused on contemporary and modernist creations inspired by the rich heritage of Mexico and Latin America. Founded in 2015, the brand aims to highlight timeless design, aesthetic quality, and precise craftsmanship. Driven by the principles of Mexican craftsmanship, their creations are subtle hybrids with minimalist silhouettes, both architectural and warm. Sébastien grew up in Paris in a family of interior designers before attending an international business school (ESCP) and spending over twenty years living between the United States and Mexico.
Clara Le Fort
Journalist
A writer for French and international publications (Les Echos WE, Le Point, ELLE, ELLE DECO, Bllnr), Clara Le Fort deals with subjects related to luxury, innovation and sustainable development. She also works with brands on strategic matters, as a design director. In addition, she has authored five books, published by Gestalten, and has written the Louis Vuitton City Guide for Sydney, Istanbul, Copenhagen and Arles.