COMPANY PROFILE

THE STORY

Visionnaire, is a brand of the Bologna-based company IPE srl, founded by the Cavalli family in 1959.
From April 2014, Visionnaire entered in the porftolio of Ergon Capital Partners III, the investment fund
of the Belgian baron Albert Frère.
IPE (Imbottiture Prodoti Espansi – expanded padded products) was founded by brothers, Pompeo
and Vittorio Cavalli in 1959 in Zola Predosa, a few miles from Bologna, Italy. The Cavalli brothers broke
ground with their unprecedented use of the soft yet extremely durable chemical, polyurethane, which
at the time, was used solely by automotive company, Lancia, for vehicle seat padding. IPE was the
first design company to adopt this method that revolutionized the construction system of their furniture
creations. Traditional methods included springs, horsehair, and feathers among other materials. In 1959
the holding company launched their first sofas: Kosmo and Mercury. It is since its first edition in 1961
that the company participates at the Fiera Internazionale del Mobile in Milan.
In the ‘70s, Vittorio Cavalli’s son, Luigi, joined the company who set his sights on developing new
collections and international expansion.

In the mid 80s, Luigi’s children Leopold and Eleonore joined the company: Leopold as CEO of the Group
and Eleonore, Art Director and Head of Communications. The brothers along their father, launched
Visionnaire in 2004 with the aim of offering their customers a new luxury interior decor concept that
emphasizes an idea closer to fashion and lifestyle.

MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY

Throughout the last decade, this illustrious, world-class luxury Italian furniture monobrand has become
known for its unique designs and aristocratic flair. Visionnaire takes an alternative approach to the
idea of interior design, offering a “total concept” solution - residential, business, contract and yachts
alike – creating customized interior atmospheres to fit a customer’s personal needs, style and taste.
“Luxury, style and quality are core values within the Visionnaire brand philosophy,” says Eleonore
Cavalli, Visionnaire’s Creative Director and Communications. “Our made-in-Italy brand has grown
beyond simple furnishings providing bespoke furnishing solutions for consumer projects.” In addition
to its indoor and outdoor furniture and lifestyle offerings, Visionnaire offers tailor-made projects, crafted
according to consumers specific needs, making it the ideal partner in projects for private dwellings
as well as luxury contract proposals. Visionnaire’s home philosophy speaks to a new way to regard
furnishing- not strictly linked to the product, but linked to a way of living and linked to how the furniture
will be used within its owner’s lifestyle. This vision has been the driving force in increased global demand
for Visionnaire and the company’s worldwide expansion. Uniqueness, modern style and a vocation
for Made in Italy are the founding values of the Visionnaire brand.
Visionnaire currently produces more than 2,500 articles, thanks to the collaboration of a team of
Italian and worldrenowned visionary designers. The brand offers total looks for important interior design
projects, from private dream homes to public spaces such as hotels, restaurants and luxurious clubs,
covering all living areas from living rooms to bedrooms, bathrooms (wellness rooms), kitchens (food
rooms) and outdoor areas. Its predisposition for tailor-made design and ability to offer exceptional
solutions with authentic personality makes Visionnaire the ideal partner for “Contract Design” projects.

For some years now, Visionnaire has been able to vaunt prestigious partnerships in the luxury hospitality
industry, covering not only the vast hotel sector, but also meeting the needs of particular and important
private buildings as a partner of exceptional sensitivity. It offers flexibility, expert Italian craftsmanship,
the design and creation of ”bespoke luxury” to satisfy the requirements of the most exacting
customers. Furthermore, it has experience in great-bespoke projects in the private yacht industry with
the major Italian shipyards and in the short and medium haul private jet industry.

DISTRIBUTION AND NEW OPENINGS

Visionnaire is present in more than 50 countries with 18 mono-brand stores (Baku, Shunde,
Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Cairo, Dubai, Kiev, Bari, Milan (2), Bologna, Moscow,
Singapore, Miami, Istanbul and Ho Chi Minh). It also operates through an extensive network of selected
high-end multi-brand stores and luxury department stores, as well as working with some of the world’s
best interior architects.

This year, 2016, the brand aims to open in Doha (Qatar), at Harrods in London (UK), Riyadh (UAE),
Teheran (Iran), Chengdu, Foshan and Nanjing (all of them in China).

ERGON CAPITAL PARTNERS

Since April 16th, 2014, Ergon Capital Partners III is an investor in the company. Together, with Ergon
Capital, the brand shares an ambitious growth strategy through the opening directly owned and licensed
monobrand stores within the world’s most luxurious cities. Leopold Cavalli, current CEO and shareholder,
leads the company as Managing Director together with Chairman Daniele Selleri.

Ergon Capital Partners III is a pan-european mid-market private equity investment company backed
by Belgian Baron Albert Frère’s Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (“GBL”).
One of the largest holding companies in Europe with market capitalization of over 11 billion euros, GBL
has been listed on the Brussels stock exchange since the ‘Fifties and it has significant shareholdings
in the energy, raw materials, spirits, sportswear and certification industries.

VISIONNAIRE AND ART

Art, in all its form and expression, has always been a source of inspiration for Visionnaire. The dialogue
between art and design has always been part of Visionnaire’s DNA. Six years ago, Visionnaire opened
Wunderkammer, a space devoted to Contemporary Arts projects situated in their Flagship store at
Piazza Cavour 3 in Milan.