04/16/2018

Interview With Emanuela Tavolini l Architecture Update Magazine

"2018 will witness the launch of three new Faucet Collections"

India is a fast-growing market that offers good opportunities for manufacturers of the luxury sector, contemplates Emanuela Tavolini, Director of Sales Europe, GRAFF, as the company is gradually consolidating its presence and sales network in India by offering technologically advanced products with European design and quality. 

How has your journey evolved over the years while working for GRAFF?

Passion, creativity, achievement drive, will to shape and create new opportunities, capacity to understand customers' needs and designers' trends are the key elements that constitute an engine in the work that I have been carrying out in the last 17 years.
For GRAFF, being a premium American manufacturer, thanks to the design and quality of our collections. Such elements enabled me to successfully develop from scratch across multiple markets in Europe, Middle East and far East markets. With my personal involvement we could establish the brand in the luxury field in most international regions, becoming a trendsetter.

What are the emerging trends for designer bathroom in 2018? 
The bathroom sector has become more responsive over the last few year by following different trends. Sometimes even in contrast among themselves. If on one hand, the love for traditional designs, re-visited in a modern way has given inspiration for transitional collections (like GRAFF's Finezza series), on the other hand, a new interest towards "industrial­ looking" bathroom fixtures is creating a great interest, pushing manufacturers in a different direction. GRAFF is soon going to launch two new series that will satisfy the taste for elements which recall the industrial revolution era. Also the finishes undergo the same contrasting trends: traditional finishes, re­interpreted in a modern way, like the rose gold for example, co-exist with dark industrial finishes that stand out for their austere appearance.

How far has the bathroom fittings industry embraced technology? 
Technology plays a huge role in the bathroom sector, therefore, offers wide scope for innovations. Customers are more interested in the shower systems that offer additional functions together with the traditional ones. For this reason GRAFF developed the Aqua-sense shower system, based on the use of up-to-date technologies and aimed to meet the most demanding share of clientele. As well as different water functions (light rain, heavy rain and waterfall), the Aqua-sense shower system provides a LED lighting chromotherapy technology and the possibility to listen to music and watch videos. All of these functions can be controlled from a 
wall-mounted touch pad with a simple and intuitive interface. The multi-media contents can be uploaded through the provided USB port. 

What do you think will be the driving force for the growth of the industry in the coming 5 years? 
For the next 5 years we expect a growth in the demand of "home-SPA" shower systems that are able to recreate the SPA experience through high-tech, multifunction products. We also expect a great attention towards new finishes and new materials both for the faucets and the furniture elements inside the bathroom. New materials are also expected to be a great source of growth over the next few years. For this reason, GRAFF has just launched its full program of new bathtubs and washbasins developed in Sleek-Stone®, a new, technologically advanced material that combines dolomite marble with a unique resin, to create a solid compound that has the same appeal as natural stone.  

Throw some light on how the growth of GRAFF has been so far and how do you see it in growing across India?

Over the last 10 years GRAFF has penetrated the Indian market with a 
fast growing performance. The estate development industry is expanding at an incredible rate and the demand for luxury products is increasing both in the private and hospitality sector. GRAFF's incredibly variegated offering is able to satisfy any request coming from such a market segment. Following GRAFF project to offer "the total look" for the bathroom, we are now able to offer, together with a full range- of bathroom, kitchen and shower collections, also two furniture collections for the bathroom and a complete series of bathtubs and washbasin. This manifold program is­ expected to meet great success in the Indian market over the near and middle­-distant future.

Any new stores, experience centre and new products in pipeline? 
2018 will witness the launch of three completely new faucet collections, with several items for the bathroom and the shower. Besides the new lines, GRAFF is soon going to present six new finishes: rose gold, bronze with a waxed or a textured effect, natural brass, brushed brass and the refined onyx finish.

In regards to new stores, a couple of years ago the first example of mono­band space was opened by GRAFF in the design location Merchandise Mart in Chicago and our plan is to open similar showrooms worldwide. With such tools we will soon be able to penetrate the market directly to meet closer and closer the needs of the final customer, who will soon be able to have a direct connection with the manufacturer and find perfect solutions for their bathroom requirements.