Daniele Gualeni is an unapologetically Italian designer and lighting creator from the medieval town of Brescia, Italy. His functional lighting sculptures are works of art, and as a designer and artist he says, “light is something that is immaterial; you can’t touch it, it connects with the soul and there is something symbolic about light.”
In that vein, you’ll see his lamps are beyond categorization and truly something special to behold. Each piece is custom-made, following a dialogue between the client and designer. People want him to see their space, and then they work together to create the perfect complementary piece. Daniele works with a vast network of Italian master craftsmen, artisans and producers, each specializing in a medium that utilizes the finest materials sourced from the original locations in Italy. Glass, porcelain, ceramics, gold and silver leaf, Daniele says his final creations must be something that can’t be replicated in China; each piece has a human touch and unique quality. The Africa designer lamp, for example, was inspired by a cloaked woman he encountered on his travels, but the design also facilitates heat dispersion (unfortunately, for now, Covid has affected the artisan who creates the ceramic for this piece, but the back story is so wonderful).
The GALA pendant lamp is his best-selling in California. “I drew it while I was in New York in a coffee shop. I saw them using old beer bottles as lamps and I thought of doing something similar but with a more elegant twist, with bottles made in blown glass using the venetian ‘incalmo’ technique.”
Growing up in Northern Italy — an hour’s drive from Milan — Daniele was steeped in classic design and engineering studies, always building and drawing. Brescia is an important industrial city in the foothills of the Italian Alps. It is here that his family owns a company that produces electrical cables. He got a dual Masters in Robotic Engineering and Design, but in 2007 he moved to New York City to chart his own path. He says over the next 12 years he honed his craft, combining his technical skills and creative passion. Daniele worked in cafes across the city, trying out new ones every day and slowly building his body of work. He was addicted to the energy of NYC, found inspiration and built a life. Slowly he added a NY sensibility to his oeuvre, always mining his rich Italian legacy.
In 2017 he met Benji Schwimmer, a 14-time world champion swing dancer, choreographer and So You Think You Can Dance 2006 second season winner. They fell in love and traveled the world together, romantically meeting up in various places abroad. In 2020, set for a large exhibition of his work in Hudson, NY, Covid hit and upended everything. Benji is from the Coachella Valley and they hatched a plan to live together in the desert. Daniele packed up his Greenwich Village apartment, drove across the country — in the height of the pandemic — and they got married at the only chapel in Palm Springs.
Daniele calls Benji his muse, his California and desert whisperer, and it was Benji who encouraged Daniele to start his business and call it Unapologetically Italian. The name was Benji’s idea and it always gets a laugh and starts a conversation. Proud of his Italian heritage — marinated in the classical arts — Daniele says as wonderful as his home country is, Italy is not always open to creativity and possibility. He’s found new and different energy for his work in the Coachella Valley. Slowly he is coming to love eggs and bacon for breakfast and the desert influence on his creative process; even while his mom is desperate for him to return to Italy. Today they live in Cathedral Cove and are remodeling their house, and Daniele says he has fused his Italian, NY and desert sensibilities to create a unique collection and business. The sky, the sunset and the way the earth reflects light in the desert are adding even more to his creative repertoire.
His products and collection are constantly evolving — much like his marriage — teasing out the gems from the Old World, his time on the East Coast and now the completely new and inspiring desert environment. The synergy between Daniele, the artisans, and the family factory (where he sources electrical components and his works are assembled and certified), ensures that every handmade item is of unparalleled quality, preserving the artistry of his products.
Unapologetically Italian took Modernism week by storm and customers were impressed by his vintage, nostalgic, but thoroughly modern works of art. He says he sold everything and was so bolstered by the appreciation.
“Post Modernism Week this year has also been fantastic for my business. I’ve been doing a lot of consulting and custom lighting creation for private residential clients and businesses, which has been a newfound part of my business here in the desert.”
From penthouses overlooking Central Park to hip Brooklyn lofts, hotels in Dubai to the homes of glitterati in Hollywood and now MCM Desert homes, his designs can be seen around the world, but they forever remain Unapologetically Italian.
www.u-italian.com
@unapologetically.italian