Based in Rome, Carbonikon operates on the intersection of design and materials science, making use of aerospace-grade carbon fibre engineering to the luxurious equipment market. The corporate’s roots in aeronautical manufacturing inform its dedication to structural efficiency, product longevity and light-weight design. Somewhat than depend on aesthetics alone, Carbonikon’s purses and briefcases are positioned as long-term belongings that mix industrial-grade precision with sensible utility. By specializing in resilience and effectivity over seasonal tendencies, the model challenges conventional notions of luxurious and affords a performance-driven various for discerning customers. With rising curiosity in high-performance supplies inside the luxurious phase, Carbonikon’s method aligns innovation with sustainability and measurable worth.
A lot of Carbonikon’s merchandise have registered copyrighted designs. The corporate’s mission is to supply objects that mirror the sensation and fervour for his or her work. “Our creations are a part of us and our household who actively take part of their conception and creation,” says Fabio Manieri, Firm Proprietor of Aviacompositi – Carbonikon. LUXUO speaks to Manieri on how the model is translating aeronautical innovation into the language of luxurious.
Your luggage manufactured from carbon are really distinctive! Inform us about your ardour for carbon, which is normally a fabric related to the aerospace and automotive sectors?
My ardour for carbon fibre stems from my ardour for aeroplanes and their applied sciences. Having grown up in Ciampino, the place Rome’s second airport is situated, it’s straightforward to think about why. My ardour for aeroplanes and all of the applied sciences utilized to them dates again to once I was very younger. I began constructing mannequin aeroplanes on the age of 5, and as I grew up I constructed every kind of them. My ardour for aeroplanes led me to attend the G. Galilei aeronautical building faculty in Rome. In 1985, finding out in even higher depth, I made a decision to construct my very own two-seater ultralight plane. I designed the aerodynamics and the construction and constructed it over three years of intense work. After many assessments, I took it for a flight in 1988. I had realised my dream! I later took my spouse, my father and lots of associates up for flights. It’s unimaginable to assume that I constructed it within the household Woodshop, which was situated on ‘Wright brothers’ avenue! It appeared like an indication of future…
A few years later, from 2001 to 2018, I resumed my outdated ardour for mannequin aeroplanes, profitable 18 consecutive Italian championships within the “FAI” (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) F1D and F1M classes, Ministick and TH are endurance mannequin aeroplanes weighing between 0.49 grams and three grams (this isn’t a mistake; they actually weigh between 0.49 and three grams relying on the class). They fly on their very own with out radio management and with a rubber band motor. They’re excessive of their building and aerodynamics, and even have an automated variable pitch propeller, constructed as if it had been a part of a watch! If effectively constructed and arrange, F1Ds, which symbolize the highest of the class, can fly for nearly half an hour in a single flight. They’re extraordinarily environment friendly and symbolize the essence of flight physics. That is an historical class of mannequin aeroplanes that embodies all the fashionable ideas of lightness and vitality saving, that are the identical the reason why carbon fibre is used right now.
Returning to carbon fibre, from 1988 to 1992 my ardour led me to work at Agusta helicopter firm within the composite supplies plant, the place I used to be employed within the experimental composite supplies division and within the industrial engineering workplace, thus growing my specialisation in these supplies that I already knew. Throughout these years, carbon fibre started for use in different sectors as effectively, and I continually adopted its growth. In truth, round 1992, after leaving Agusta, I started to fabricate mannequin plane components and motorbike components in carbon fibre. In 1998, I based Aviacompositi, which for 27 years has been producing many carbon fibre components for the automotive sector in addition to for a lot of analysis and growth sectors.
One of the crucial essential and weird initiatives I’ve personally undertaken was the design and building of the carbon fibre help for the statue of Apollo Belvedere for the Vatican Museums. It was a really difficult mission that took me over eight months to design and construct. The Apollo, a statue created round 150 AD by the Romans, is a landmark and icon of classical sculpture. It was as soon as once more proven to the world final October after 5 years of restoration. The video of the restoration, which additionally exhibits me putting in the carbon help, may be considered on YouTube.
Inform us concerning the distinctive properties of carbon?
The principle properties of carbon fibre are its excessive mechanical energy and stiffness, in comparison with its low weight, which, when correctly exploited, supply nice benefits. Its low weight permits for vital vitality financial savings. For instance, in transport, many business plane make in depth use of carbon fibre. Being lighter, they devour much less gas, leading to decrease prices and fewer affect on air pollution. As a common idea of excessive efficiency and most effectivity, simply consider Formulation 1 vehicles or America’s Cup boats.
You said that the Carbonikon luggage you’ve got created aren’t simply equipment, however model statements that mirror the concord between type and performance. Are you able to elaborate there?
Carbonikon luggage and equipment aren’t simply lovely objects in themselves. Once I design them, I don’t simply take into consideration their type, but in addition their sensible on a regular basis use. I consider they need to deliver satisfaction and lighten our days, not solely by being lovely objects to take a look at, giving us that feeling of enchantment we get after we take a look at a murals, but in addition by having a sensible use. For me, that is the idea of excellent stability between aesthetic type and performance.
Why is the lightness of carbon a key factor of differentiation to your luggage?
It’s the similar idea of vitality effectivity expressed above: lightness reduces vitality consumption for us too, as we tire much less simply. It’s higher to have a light-weight container which, when added to the load to be carried, has the bottom potential weight. For instance, our empty briefcase weighs about 1 kg (2.20 lbs) lower than a regular one, which implies that when full, it would weigh on common the identical as or lower than a standard empty briefcase. The identical idea is utilized to the ladies’s purse that weights solely 380 grams (0.84 lb).
Do you see your self as an engineer or a designer, or each?
Contemplating my ardour for expertise, my many pursuits, passions and research – from aeronautics to mechanics, design, electronics, laptop science, pictures and so forth – I consider I’m a multifaceted engineer with an innate sensitivity to design and the fantastic thing about issues. This isn’t meant to be self-celebration, however somewhat a considerate reflection on a life dedicated to pursuing my passions.
At Carbonikon, conventional craftsmanship meets technological precision. Inform us concerning the manufacturing course of.
The manufacturing course of for a carbon fibre part may be very lengthy and complicated. There are levels the place fashionable expertise can be utilized, however there are additionally many levels the place high-level craftsmanship and abilities are required. For instance, within the design part, we transfer from pencil drawings to 3D CAD, and to create the mould, the mannequin is generally milled utilizing CNC, however in some circumstances it might be extra handy to do it by hand utilizing the normal technique. To make the product, the carbon have to be layered within the mould fully by hand, and that is the place human talent makes all of the distinction. To realize a high-quality aesthetic impact, the fibres have to be layered very fastidiously with out distortion or asymmetrical orientation.
Then, within the ending stage, there’s a entire part of handbook sanding, adopted by portray, which supplies the carbon magnificence and sturdiness, and mirror sharpening within the case of a shiny end. The method is as lengthy and complicated as that of portray a supercar. along with this, taking our girls’s bag or briefcase for example, there’s additionally the preparation and handbook stitching of the interior lining, its gluing to the carbon shells, the gluing of the closing frames, the meeting of the handles and backside studs, all very lengthy and delicate handbook operations that, when finished skilfully, actually make the distinction.
What’s the profile of your clientele and what do they search for when buying a Carbonikon bag?
Our prospects search the distinctiveness of an object, its soul that carries with it part of us, our ardour for what we do and my private historical past on the planet of expertise and design. Ours is a contemporary buyer who appreciates the mix of expertise and refinement, loves exclusivity and personalisation, and is aware of that the product they’re shopping for is just not a sterile industrial manufacturing however a product with a historical past, the results of the fervour of people that have devoted their lives to searching for excellence of their work.
You argue {that a} product that lasts over time is extra sustainable. Are you able to inform us what you concentrate on this?
Quick trend definitely produces extra air pollution because of the giant portions produced, which generates a considerable amount of waste to be handled. My imaginative and prescient is of a product that lasts over time with out ending up in a landfill after just a few months. At Carbonikon, we apply this idea to all the things we do, and it additionally represents our idea of high quality, which interprets right into a profit for each the planet and the shopper.
Do you utilize recycled supplies?
The place potential, we all the time attempt to use supplies with a really low environmental affect, corresponding to water-based mould launch brokers and so forth. On the similar time, we attempt to optimise manufacturing processes to minimise vitality consumption.
Do you create restricted sequence?
Sure, we plan to create restricted sequence and distinctive items of our merchandise.
The place do you see your model in 5 years? Will you use a community of Carbonikon boutiques?
I see regular progress in the direction of the principle international markets. In the meanwhile, we function immediately by way of our on-line store, however progress will probably lead us to create a community of Carbonikon boutiques.
What’s your definition of success?
For me, success means having individuals recognize what we do. After all, it additionally means seeing Carbonikon develop when it comes to status and recognition all over the world and figuring out that many individuals establish with our model. Success in financial phrases is clearly essential, however for me it comes after these items.
In the event you had been to call one individual or mentor who has impressed you alongside your life and profession, who would that be?
Each for inspiration and gratitude, to my father who was so inventive in his work, known as “Archimedes” by his associates, who handed on to me his ardour for invention and ingenuity, to my mom too along with her conviction that my inventive actions and passions would assist me in life. I feel they had been each completely proper, to my spouse Antonella, who has all the time stood by me and supported me in my work for a few years, bodily making our merchandise with me and contributing her concepts and creativity which met mine as effectively; to my daughters, with whom I typically focus on issues, listening to their factors of view and recommendation. They’re all true sources of inspiration and guiding lights in my life.
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