Photo: Arflex
A quilt that dresses the sofa like a sleeping bag: soft, informal, made to be lived in every day.
Some sofas furnish a room; a few change the way we think about upholstery. The Arflex Strips, designed by Cini Boeri at the end of the 1960s, belongs to the second group: a museum piece made to be lived in every day. Here at Mariani, official Arflex retailers in Milan and Arluno, we tell you its story, and better still, we let you try it in our showroom.
Looking for the price? Go to price and compositions ↓
The Strips was born in 1968 from a design by Cini Boeri for Arflex, the Brianza company that has worked with Italy's great designers since 1947. The idea was simple and, for its time, radical: treat the sofa's cover as a quilt, a soft shell that wraps the padding like a sleeping bag or a duvet.
With Laura Griziotti the idea grew into a whole family of sofas, armchairs and beds: La Famiglia degli Strips, which won the Compasso d'Oro ADI in 1979, Italy's most prestigious design award. The Strips has never gone out of production since: for Arflex it is an evergreen.
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.
The same focus runs through the Strips: a sofa meant to be used, unzipped and renewed. In 1979 the Strips family, signed with Laura Griziotti, won the Compasso d'Oro. Boeri taught at the Politecnico di Milano and set out her method in the book Le dimensioni umane dell'abitazione (1980).
What makes the Strips different from any other sofa? First of all, the quilt: the cover wraps the padding and comes off, so the sofa can be washed, looked after and, over the years, renewed with a new cover instead of being replaced.
Then there is the seat: generous, enveloping and deliberately informal. The soft surface, stitched into squares, makes it recognisable at a glance, from Milan apartments to country houses.
From the classic three-seater to large corner and island compositions: the versions photographed by Arflex. You choose the upholstery in our showroom, from the full range of samples.
Photo: Arflex
VAT included. The range depends on the configuration and the upholstery. Delivery and assembly are not included: we quote them separately to suit you (delivery with assembly, or collection from our warehouse or showroom).
Anyone looking for the Strips price usually only finds "on request". We prefer to tell you the real range of the Arflex price list straight away: it starts from the 190 cm sofa in the base fabric band and goes up to the large compositions in the highest fabric band. The sizes in between are below.
The Strips is a system: you start from a sofa or from single units and build the right shape for your space. These are the widths in the Arflex catalogue:
For upholstery you choose from the Arflex fabrics: wools, linens, velvets, bouclé, chenille, jacquard and canvas. In our showroom you can touch the samples and compare them in real light, which is the only sensible way to choose.
The Strips is on display in both showrooms. Message us on WhatsApp to book your visit: in Milan also on Saturday, 10:30am–1pm by appointment only.
Tell us which units and which fabric you are interested in: as official Arflex retailers we will reply with the price of your composition on the current price list.
Ask for the price on WhatsAppA sofa like the Strips deserves to be chosen carefully: composition, sizes, upholstery. As an official Arflex retailer in Milan and Arluno we have access to the full catalogue, not just what is on display, with the official warranty and support that continues after your order.
Read more: where to see and try Arflex in Milan and our page on Cini Boeri and her designs for Arflex. And if you are choosing between Arflex's two soft icons, compare it with 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
The Strips is on display and can be tried in both showrooms, in Milan and in Arluno. 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.
From €5,864 to over €38,000, VAT included, delivery and assembly excluded. The range depends on the configuration, from the 190 cm sofa to the large compositions, and on the fabric band. We are official Arflex retailers: choose the units and message us on WhatsApp, we will reply with the exact price.
Yes, and it is its most famous feature: the cover is a quilt that wraps the padding and comes off. A real convenience for washing, maintenance and changing the cover over the years.
The Arflex catalogue lists sofas of 190, 220, 250 and 280 cm, also with short armrests; one-arm units from 125 to 250 cm and armless units from 95 to 185 cm, to build corner and island layouts; poufs of 65, 95 and 125 cm per side. Sofas and units also come in a deep 125 cm version.
The Strips is a 1968 design by Cini Boeri for Arflex. The Strips family, signed with Laura Griziotti, won the Compasso d'Oro ADI in 1979.
At Mariani Design, official Arflex retailer: our showrooms in Milan San Babila (Via Uberto Visconti di Modrone 8/a) and Arluno (Via Guglielmo Marconi 12). The Strips is on display and can be tried in both showrooms, in Milan and in Arluno: message us on WhatsApp first and we will tell you which compositions are on the floor.
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 it in person and prepare a quote for your composition.
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