Arata Outdoor Collection by Valerio Sommella Unveiled in Milan

May 18, 2026  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

Valerio Sommella is an Italian industrial designer whose work bridges tradition and innovation. Born in Cortona, Tuscany, and raised in Milan, he graduated from the Department of Design at the Politecnico di Milano. He collaborates with both Italian and international brands, designing a wide range of products across different sectors. At the heart of his practice lies a deep investigation into the language of objects, where form, material and technology intersect.

Sommella approaches each project as a unique, distinct and self-contained story, rather than as part of a continuous narrative.

Arata. In Japanese, it means new, fresh. A word that does not merely describe a collection — it captures its soul. SKLD Studio chose for the first time an Italian designer, Valerio Sommella, whose career spans icons of excellence such as Alessi, Nemo and RH. The result is a collection that carries with it a design sensibility deeply rooted in the great tradition of good design.

Unveiled in preview at Salone del Mobile. Milano, Arata stands out for its elegant lines — simple and clean in form, yet rich in personality. Two pieces best embody its spirit, inviting something increasingly rare: to pause, breathe, and dream with eyes wide open. The daybed and the rocking chair.

The metal frame, available in burnished grey and rust, is the formal heart of the collection. A continuous curve draws the armrests and backrest, flowing without interruption down to the rear legs, creating a silhouette that is at once classic and contemporary.

In dialogue with the metal, the hand-woven backrest in a natural tone echoes the tradition of macramé — the rhythm of hands, living material. A gesture that softens the industrial lines, plays with light and lets the air pass through. Warmth you can see and feel.

Designed for spaces that breathe — from dining areas to terraces, from the garden to the poolside — Arata brings soft curves and enveloping cushions into a rare balance of refinement and restraint. Sophisticated without being pretentious, impactful without raising its voice.

The rocking chair inhabits a garden, a terrace or an interior with equal ease, bringing to every setting the same character: contemporary and timeless.