During Salone del Mobile, Vibia invited us to join their press breakfast where we attended the guided tour to discover the latest collections. Our journey through the stand led to an incredible interview with designers Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba.
ALBA is still in working progress. Vibia presented the prototype version at the fair; however, it is likely to be introduced as a final collection soon.
CEO Pere Llonch provided an animated press tour of the latest collections presented by the brand at Salone del Mobile. The team grouped the collections into themes according to the four key areas of exploration: materiality and warm light; conducting light through space; dynamic light, atmospheres for every moment; and indoor-outdoor living.
The Spanish lighting company organized its stand around a central melting pot where tables hosted the ALBA lamp in its four different colors. The portability of the ALBA lamp tags it quite seamlessly as fitting for both indoor and outdoor situations. We joined the designer duo for a coffee to talk about their studio, their collaboration with Vibia, and their work on the ALBA lamp.
A Creative Partnership Rooted in Complementarity
For more than three decades, the Milan-based studio of has built a reputation for thoughtful, enduring design. The duo, both in life and in work, founded their studio in Rome, later relocating to Verona before settling in Milan.聽
鈥淲e started like crazy people with a lot of dreams,鈥� Palomba recalled. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e been very lucky.鈥�
Their partnership is the driving force behind their creative output.
鈥淲e are two creatives,鈥� said Serafini. 鈥淗e does a little more design, I do a little more architecture.鈥澛�
Despite the division of focus, the couple collaborates closely on everything they create.
鈥淚t鈥檚 different, but it鈥檚 very close,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 always agree, but in the end, we always find a solution together.鈥�
That complementarity is central to their studio’s ethos.
鈥淥f course, I am a man and she is a woman,鈥� Palomba said. 鈥淪o we have a different vision that is complementary. It will integrate the vision of the other.鈥澛�
This openness to each other鈥檚 perspectives fuels a process where curiosity and mutual respect are essential.
鈥淚f you are curious about the vision of the other, you can always learn something,鈥� he added.
Their team, now numbering 25 and hailing from diverse backgrounds, also reflects this integrative spirit. The duo embrace the contrast between their own seasoned experience and the fresh outlook of their younger collaborators.聽
鈥淲e have the experience, but younger people have the vision of the future,鈥� Palomba said. 鈥淭hey have the problems of the future, which we don鈥檛. So it鈥檚 interesting鈥攚e can create something more complete.鈥�
At the core of their practice is a shared belief in collaboration, curiosity, and design that transcends trends.
ALBA: A Lamp Inspired by the Poetry of Dawn
The ALBA lamp, designed by Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba for , embodies the duo鈥檚 poetic approach to design by balancing emotion, utility, and timelessness. Its name, Alba, the Italian word for dawn, is a direct reference to the natural moment when sunlight first touches the earth.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 the moment when the day begins,鈥� Serafini explained. 鈥淲e say, 鈥極K, I鈥檓 still on the earth. I have to do this, I have to do that.鈥� It鈥檚 the beginning of everything.鈥�
That delicate intersection between light and life forms the conceptual heart of ALBA.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the sun and the earth that touch,鈥� Palomba added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a moment. Exactly.鈥�
The lamp鈥檚 form and function are deliberately soft, inviting, and emotionally resonant.
鈥淭he incredible thing about what we do鈥� is that reality has a lot more fantasy than your idea,鈥� said Ludovica. Seeing the lamp completed鈥攚ith its correct color, materials, and light鈥攂rought genuine emotion: 鈥淚t鈥檚 beautiful. I鈥檓 really moved.鈥�
Crafted from metal and plastic, ALBA was designed with longevity in mind.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 make fashion objects,鈥� Palomba noted. 鈥淲e make objects that have a concept. Something precious. Something that stays in time.鈥�
That philosophy extends to its practical use. Battery-operated and cordless, ALBA is intended to move with the user, like a modern candle.
鈥淵ou have a light that follows you in the house,鈥� Serafini said. 鈥淵ou can put it on the table, in the bathroom, on the sofa. It integrates with the ambiance.鈥�
The technology behind the lamp is equally advanced: the LED doesn鈥檛 heat up and lasts for hours.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful,鈥� Ludovica said. 鈥淲e need objects that are kind, that bring a moment of relaxation.鈥�
With ALBA, Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba have created not just a product, but an experience鈥攓uiet, poetic, and enduring.
A Shared Vision: Designing with Vibia
The collaboration between Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba and Spanish lighting brand Vibia is rooted in a shared sensitivity toward design, emotion, and human experience. Known for creating elegant, emotionally resonant atmospheres through light, Vibia aligns naturally with the designers’ philosophy.
鈥淲e like working with Vibia,鈥� said Serafini, reflecting on the long-standing partnership. 鈥淭hey go very slowly, so the projects are well thought out, with good technology. The details are perfect.鈥�
Vibia鈥檚 emphasis on creating emotional atmospheres and putting people at the center of design is something they deeply appreciate.聽
鈥淲e bring the design, but they do the development of the technology,鈥� added Palomba. 鈥淎nd they are fantastic.鈥�
As Vibia continues to lead with a people-centered approach鈥攊ntegrating dynamic light and advanced controls to shape evolving spaces鈥攖hey find resonance in the brand鈥檚 mission.聽
鈥淭hey are a brand that is active in research,鈥� said Serafini. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to work for them.鈥�
For the designers and the brand, it鈥檚 beyond illumination. It鈥檚 about enhancing well-being through thoughtful design that stands the test of time.
