Considered changes at Città

Città embraces a slower change of pace across its thoughtfully designed furniture, lighting, textiles, and accessories.

Città has long been a favourite for design aficionados. With a history dating back more than three decades, the family-owned-and-operated design company has firmly cemented itself as a beloved go-to for local design.

It has been an exciting, pivotal year for Città as it made the conscious decision to buck the fast-fashion trend. Instead of getting caught up in the pressure of seasonal releases, Città has shifted its focus to small, considered capsules.

The slower, intentional approach to production has been a welcome change for Città’s in-house designers, who work from a vibrant studio based in Mount Eden.

“Long before Covid, we’d been talking about refining our offering,” says Città’s Head of Textile Design Imogen Tunnicliffe. “At that stage, we produced everything from bed linen and handbags to cooler bags and toys in six-monthly product drops.”

Then—like most other businesses—Città was affected by the global pandemic with disruptions to releasing the anticipated collections. However, the adaptive brand saw it as a unique opportunity to change tack—narrowing the range, slowing the releases, and prioritising thoughtfully designed pieces.

“It forced us into doing what we’d always wanted to do but hadn’t yet managed,” says Imogen. “It’s much better to spend more time designing one product and getting it right than splintering your time and effort trying to deliver a multitude of different products to tight deadlines.”

The intentional approach to production also keeps the brand’s environmental impact in mind—and this isn’t where Città’s efforts end.

The brand prioritises natural, sustainably sourced materials, including New Zealand lambswool, organic cotton certified by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), feathers certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), and OEKO-TEX-certified flax linen.

Eco-conscious design decisions can also be seen across Città’s furniture. The newly released Acre Chair is made with an industry-leading ‘eco-plastic’ derived from renewable sources, including straw fibres. Most recently, the brand is in the process of receiving a sustainable timber certification.

While not only being more environmentally conscious, the curated drops have helped create harmony across the product offering, which encompasses furniture, lighting, textiles, and accessories.

Città founder and CEO Margot Acland welcomes keeping longevity in mind. “We have refined our product offering over the last few years, both in design and quality. The step back from the traditional seasonal approach provides more time to deliver lasting products. We want to ensure they will be cherished by our customers for life.”

The thoughtful designs can be discovered in-store and online at cittadesign.com. There are four design stores across Auckland with locations in Grey Lynn, BLOC Mount Eden, Newmarket, and Takapuna. For further inspiration, visit Città’s social channels @citta.

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