The historic premises in Lumezzane, company archive

The historic premises in Lumezzane. Photograph from the company archive.

Lumezzane, since 1963

Since 1963, a story shaped in steel

The Serafino Zani story begins in Lumezzane, in the valleys north of Brescia, where metalworking knowledge has passed between generations. Following experience alongside his father Bernardo Lorenzo, Serafino founded the company in 1963. That heritage of skilled gestures, careful finishing and material knowledge grew into a design-led exploration of the kitchen and table.

The journey is more than a sequence of new releases. It is a dialogue between designs that remain current and collections now held in the archive. We preserve their ideas, authors and solutions while clearly distinguishing history from today’s range. Current lines also include designs created in Italy and manufactured abroad; production origin is stated on individual items when documented.

Timeline

The dates shown are those documented. Where sources disagree, we give the period.

  1. 1963

    The company is founded in Lumezzane

    Serafino Zani founds the company after working alongside his father Bernardo Lorenzo.

  2. 1978

    Solaris

    A milestone in the history of cookware design.

  3. 1980

    Research into the cooking base

    Publication of US patent US4204607A, naming Tarcisio Zani as inventor, a document in the company’s research history.

  4. Early 1980s

    Planetarium, early 1980s

    Liliana Bonomi and Tarcisio Zani explore a system of bowls that combine with one another.

  5. 1983

    Finlandia

    The design by Tapio and Sami Wirkkala joins the Serafino Zani table.

  6. 1985

    Genesis

    A chapter in Tarcisio Zani’s exploration of steel cookware.

  7. 1989

    Vickers

    A chapter in cookware that remains part of the current range.

  8. 1990

    Thema

    A cookware collection now preserved in the archive.

  9. 1992

    Mach

    Isao Hosoe interprets the coffee-making object.

  10. 1993

    Elaios and Otello

    Projects by Liliana Bonomi and Tarcisio Zani extend the story of the table.

  11. 1997

    Impulse

    F. A. Porsche’s project enters the cookware story.

  12. 2004

    La cucina sapiente e la tavola contenta

    Ettore Sottsass’s programme connects kitchen and table through Bon Appetit, Cinque Stelle and Offerta.

  13. 2007

    Passami il Sale

    The design programme with Konstantin Grcic begins.

  14. 2008

    Al Dente

    Konstantin Grcic’s design language meets cookware.

  15. 2010 / 2011

    Subito

    Previewed in 2010 and introduced in 2011, an exploration of pressure cooking.

  16. 2016

    Stripes

    The collection designed by Liliana Bonomi is presented in Milan.

  17. Today

    The story continues

    Current collections connect steel, different materials and new ways of cooking and dining.