Mondi Connessi: Draga & Aurel Speak

In 2007, designers Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow founded their multidisciplinary studio in Como—a creative workshop where each piece takes shape by merging aesthetic research with manufacturing perfection. Through major collaborations with brands such as Baxter, Visionnaire, and Poltrona Frau, Draga & Aurel’s work stands out for its innovative and unconventional use of light and materials, creating pieces and artworks that not only furnish spaces but also evoke emotions and reflections.

The theme of Fuorisalone 2025, Connected Worlds, explores the relationship between different physical, virtual, and sensory realities—a concept that perfectly aligns with the designers’ vision. We asked them a few questions to understand how their approach connects different worlds, bridging art and functionality, material and perception.

A few words about yourselves: Who are you, and how do you define yourselves today?

We define ourselves as artists rather than designers. Through our studio, Draga & Aurel, we bring art into design through research, experimentation, and a free, instinctive approach. We apply artistic processes to the world of design, exploring materials and forms without constraints. Some call us “alchemists” for our distinctive use of resin. In our Como atelier, we shape materials with our hands, embracing the unexpected and discovery. I focus more on design, while Aurel is devoted to painting—we live in a creative symbiosis of continuous exchange.


Photo courtesy of Riccardo Gasperoni

The theme of Fuorisalone 2025, Connected Worlds, explores the contamination of different languages, visions, and elements. How does your design philosophy reflect this theme, and what connections do you seek to establish between light, materials, and form in your projects?

We fully resonate with the Fuorisalone 2025 theme, which reflects the deep connection between art and design—a recurring theme in our work—but also extends to other fields, from music to photography, from architecture to textiles (which are especially dear to Draga), fostering an ongoing dialogue between past and future. We love the 1970s and their free-spirited approach—an era where influences blended seamlessly, and experimentation took center stage. Light, color, and materials are the three essential elements with which we design.

Your work has always had a strong personal imprint. How have you seen the perception of "craft-based" design evolve in the design landscape? In your view, what defines contemporary design today?

We feel part of a movement that prioritizes authenticity over spectacle, handmade craftsmanship over mass production, and the simplicity of experience over excessive narratives. For us, craftsmanship has always been a treasure to preserve—a key to the future. Today, design is no longer defined solely by form and function but by its ability to inspire wonder, becoming an evocative object that touches the deepest strings of the human soul.

The Apartment of Wonder project, presented last year by Rossana Orlandi, seems to be an explosion of contrasts and synergy between different elements. In a world where the lines between design, art, and technology are increasingly blurred, how do you see the future of interior design? Will the future be all about new materials? (Or simply: What kind of homes will we live in?)

Last year, together with Giuliano dell’Uva, we envisioned the home of an artist or collector—an apartment with its own art gallery—where art and design fully merged. In the future, we imagine spaces becoming increasingly fluid, intimate, and personalized, filled with carefully chosen objects that hold aesthetic, but above all, narrative and emotional value. Innovation in technology and materials will certainly play a crucial role, serving as tools at the disposal of designers.


Photo courtesy of Riccardo Gasperoni

You are internationally recognized as masters of artistic epoxy resin. You have also experimented with Lucite, an acrylic material crafted by hand using an unprecedented technique, collaborating with artisans from Lake Como and creating the Flare capsule collection for Todd Merrill Studio. How do you see materials like Lucite redefining the aesthetics of design? Are you exploring others?

We are fascinated by Lucite for its ability to capture and refract light in ever-new and unexpected ways. We love exploring its potential by playing with color, especially neon accents—a signature element in many pieces we created for Todd Merrill Studio and our Transparency Matters collection. At the moment, we are still exploring the vast potential of resins—expect something new at Milan Design Week.

What are you currently working on? Where will we find you during Design Week?

This year, we will present pieces that encapsulate the essence of our work over the years, both conceptually and stylistically. Light will undoubtedly be a key element, as will color, but we will also deeply explore the theme of sustainability with a series of unique pieces—an evolution of our Heritage collection. You will find our work at Galleria Rossana Orlandi and as part of the Doppia Firma exhibition by Fondazione Cologni, as well as in the showrooms of Baxter, Wall&decò, and Gallotti&Radice.