Photo: Arflex
From the 1967 Bobo to the Ben Ben: seating designed around how people live, all still in the Arflex catalogue.
Some designers created beautiful objects; a few changed the way we live at home. Cini Boeri belongs to the second family. Her seating for Arflex rewrote the rules of Italian upholstered furniture and, more than fifty years on, is still in production. Here at Mariani, official Arflex and FIAM retailers in Milan, we introduce them one by one, and then invite you to come and try them.
Looking for a specific piece? Go to the works ↓
Cini Boeri was born in Milan in 1924 and graduated in architecture from the Politecnico in 1951. After years of collaboration with Marco Zanuso, she opened her own studio in 1963, working across architecture and design with a particular focus on how space works in smaller homes.
With Arflex came seating with no internal frame and sofas that unzip like a duvet. In 1979 the Strips family, signed with Laura Griziotti, won the Compasso d'Oro. She taught at the Politecnico di Milano and set out her method in Le dimensioni umane dell'abitazione (1980).
From the first frameless block of polyurethane to today's curved sofas: Cini Boeri's designs that Arflex still produces, in date order. We can order every one of them, with the official warranty.
One of the first examples of seating made from a single block of polyurethane foam, with no internal frame: no wood, no metal, just shaped foam and upholstery.
Discover the Bobo →
The sofa dressed in a quilt that comes off, like a sleeping bag. With Laura Griziotti it became a family of sofas, armchairs and beds, awarded the Compasso d'Oro.
Discover the Strips →
Boeri said she was inspired by the works of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. It comes as a 150 cm sofa and a 91 cm armchair, on a black metal base.
Discover the Pecorelle →
You choose the leg height: high, for dining, or low, for the "low-level living" that was the height of modernity in the 1970s. Now also in fur and, from 2026, chromed.
Discover the Botolo →
Inspired by the classic "tripolina" chair, it shares its use and advantages: the upholstery is tucked into a black metal frame. There is an outdoor version too.
Discover the Taboga →
From the Strips family: the same quilt stitched into squares, as a sofa and an armchair.
Discover the Strips 77 →
The armchair of the Bobo family, with a low, enveloping silhouette. It also comes in a capsule collection.
Discover the Boborelax →
Boeri revisited her Bengodi model, designed in 1974, and Arflex brought it back into production. A curved modular sofa, 330 cm long and in separate units.
Discover the Ben Ben →Photo: Arflex
The last icon in this story was not made for Arflex but for FIAM Italia, the master of curved glass based in Tavullia. In 1987, with the Japanese designer Tomu Katayanagi, Cini Boeri designed the Ghost: an armchair made from a single sheet of curved glass, transparent and seemingly impossible.
Why do we mention it here? Because we are official FIAM Italia retailers too: the Ghost, and the brand's curved glass tables and mirrors, can be ordered from us with the official warranty. See our page on FIAM Italia at Mariani.
Icons are admired in books, but chosen in person. At Mariani Design, official Arflex and FIAM Italia retailers, Cini Boeri's pieces are not a catalogue picture: you try them, touch them and configure them to measure.
Read more: the Strips sofa, where to see Arflex in Milan and, for the brand's other great soft icon, the Marenco sofa.
Via Uberto Visconti di Modrone, 8/a — 20122 Milan
Mon–Fri 10:30am–6:30pm non-stop · Saturday 10:30am–1pm by appointment only · Closed Sunday
Via Guglielmo Marconi, 12 — 20004 Arluno (MI)
Mon 3:00pm–7:30pm · Tue–Fri 9:00am–12:30pm / 3:00pm–7:30pm · Sat 9:00am–12:30pm / 3:00pm–6:00pm
Before you come, message us: we will confirm which compositions and upholstery are available to try at that moment. You can also reach us from the contact page.
At Mariani Design, official Arflex and FIAM Italia retailer: our showrooms in Milan San Babila (Via Uberto Visconti di Modrone 8/a) and Arluno (Via Guglielmo Marconi 12). Message us on WhatsApp first and we will tell you where and when you can see them in person.
The current catalogue includes the Bobo, Strips, Strips 77, Pecorelle and Ben Ben sofas, the Boborelax, Pecorelle and Taboga armchairs, the Botolo seats and the Strips beds. As official retailers we can order all of them, with the warranty.
Yes. We are official FIAM Italia retailers too: the curved-glass Ghost, like the brand's tables and mirrors, can be ordered from us with the official warranty and installation by our own team.
The price depends on the model, the composition and the upholstery. Message us on WhatsApp with the piece you are interested in: we will reply with a quote on the current price list.
With our own team: site survey where needed, protected transport, installation and removal of the packaging.
We look forward to seeing you in Milan San Babila (Mon–Fri 10:30am–6:30pm, Saturday 10:30am–1pm by appointment only) or in Arluno. Message us on WhatsApp: we will tell you where to see the pieces you are interested in and prepare a quote.
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