Stupendous private publication from Branzi's Centro Design Montefibre, whose aim was to research textiles, fibres and colours. Though intended to be a continuing annual publication, Decorattivo only lasted for 3 years. Volume 1 (1975), sets out the aims of the project, continuing to exemplify the ideas through 3 areas- haberdashery, the 19th century and what Branzi calls 'Paquebot'- a 30s style of opposed concepts relating to an idea of 'Luxe'. The theme for Decorattivo 1976 is UFO, a decorative system created from space objects, and amorphous designs connected to spontaneous processes, with 1977 focussing on lines and squares. Texts are also a very definitive and well considered statement, the central idea being that decor is a system of cultural communication and that understanding it's semantics will lead to a non figurative design that at the same time offers cultural representation. Phew- as far as research and as a sourcebook- it is yet to be bettered!
