Meet Sicis, a cornerstone of the Italian art of mosaic. After over 30 years of constant evolution, the brand still preserves the same visionary spirit, standing out for the pure elegance of its tactile creations. Discover the story of the brand from its very beginning in the 1980s to its present-day success.
The name SICIS is evocative yet mysterious - not many know that it reveals a hidden meaning, from the Latin Sic Immensos Clarosque Inceptos Somniavi: alluding to the dream of creating masterpieces that everyone can appreciate. Maurizio Leo Placuzzi founded the brand in 1987, with the aim of celebrating the prestige of mosaic art in all its facets. The headquarters soon moved to Ravenna, a centre of artistic mosaic production since the fall of the Roman Empire, which saw the company flourish and Placuzzi set his sights on international expansion.
Innovative techniques have always characterized Sicis's production, starting with creating masterfully composed mosaics, and eventually evolving into designing elevated furniture inspired by ancient splendor with a contemporary aesthetic. Sicis's signature identity is glimpsed in its sophisticated finishes and precious fabrics, reminiscent of mosaic patterns. The innovative drive and the need to push limits has led to the study of new production processes such as the double indirect method for applying mosaic and new materials such as Vetrite.
Sicis’ Italian identity is and always will be a source of strength. Much like other companies firmly rooted in tradition, the firm has been able to draw ideas from the past and skilfully incorporate ancient elements to create pieces that, while contemporary, are not limited by geographic borders, as depicted in one of DM's residential designs below. We added in a striking Sicis mosaic at the dining area of this Penthouse for a perfect classical-meets-cosmopolitan ambience.
Sicis is not only known for its mosaics: the mosaic is simply the driving force, the spark that jump-started the brand, but it has been able to modernise mosaic art in line with current trends and to ensure it is valued by leading architects worldwide for all kinds of projects, from lavish hotels to public works in subway stations, temples, royal palaces, and mosques. The brand grew from there and opened itself up to the possibilities of eclectic design for exceptional interiors, including houses, hotels, furnishings, and prized structural elements. In all those instances, SICIS brings a certain “distinction”, “elegance”, and harmony for blending furnishings, decorations, fabrics, walls, and decorative elements to create unique, fascinating environments.
The fundamental phases of the brand’s development include having the foresight to capture important markets such as America, China, Japan, and Russia thanks to the founder’s vision. Later on, the brand developed patents and innovations for the tiles themselves, now fashioned also in metal and several other materials. With each passing year, mosaics have become a language, a way of interpreting the world of design and architecture. The iconic mosaic patterns by Sicis were also translated into superb “haute couture” textiles for furnishings.
Sicis' style is in constant evolution, an intermingling of ideas in which design, colors, and shapes converge and interact with each other to generate atmospheres with a strong international flavor and, at the same time, celebrate “Italianness”. It is a journey during which it collect hints of inspiration and let new sensations envelop the audience: needs emerge from the moment and the place. It is a synthesis of aesthetics, design, and culture. The company’s strength lies in its ability to and knowledge of how to attune every creative idea to the right context, using materials and products that are created and shaped entirely in its laboratories.
*extracted from artemest