PAOLA LENTI: BERNI – A 2025 RE-EDITION OF FRANCO POLI

Images courtesy of Paola Lenti

An Icon of 1980s Design Reawakens with New Material Poetry and Timeless Restraint

In a gesture that bridges eras, Paola Lenti revisits the archives of Italian design to celebrate innovation through memory. The result is Berni—a 2025 re-edition of Franco Poli’s 1980 design for Bernini SpA, reborn through the quiet precision and textile mastery that define the Paola Lenti universe.

Originally conceived at a time when Italian craftsmanship was setting global standards, Berni embodied the spirit of its age: forward-looking, ergonomically sound, and elegantly minimal. Today, its revival is not a nostalgic act, but a continuation of that progressive vision—translated into contemporary form and material sensibility.

“Through these re-editions, we wish to share and preserve the innovative visions of great masters,” says Paola Lenti. “Their work remains a lasting source of inspiration for the design world.”

Presented by Coulisse | INK

In this new interpretation, Poli’s design finds renewed depth. Metal joints are replaced with dyed oak inlays, handcrafted with precision and sensitivity. The structure—pared back yet expressive—reveals the chair’s anatomy with honesty, while ensuring perfect posture and lasting comfort. The tactile presence of wood and fabric speaks of restraint, warmth, and a modern sense of calm.

For Poli, the collaboration marks both a reunion and a rediscovery. “Reuniting with Paola Lenti was a moment of great emotional intensity,” he reflects. “Together, we brought new life to a design that once defined an era.”

Berni stands as more than a re-edition, it evolves, with grace and purpose.