Feb. 21 – “Life is a toy … ” was the motto Mario Monicelli’s Picaris. And four students at the POLI.design – Consortium of Politecnico di Milano, took his word for it, founded Italiantoy, and obtained their own stand at the International Toy Fair of Nuremberg (held from January 29 to February 3). Italiantoy by Calembour design is toy start-up established thanks to POLI.design’s advanced course in toy design and the Emilia- Romagna region. Alessandra Falconi (former director of the Children’s Services Cooperative Zaffiria), Roberta Martinucci, Emanuela Stocco and Marta Garaventa attended the same course in toy design, organized by POLI.design – Consortium of Politecnico di Milan, with the sponsorship of Assogiocattoli and the collaboration of Italian Design Group. Assogiocattoli represents toy manufacturers and distributors in Italy. The 4 toy designers began to work together during a workshop for Hape, a leading international manufacturer in eco-friendly toys. The harmony of the team, the balance of their skills and a common vision soon allowed the group to achieve good results. They participated in a toy and decor contest, organized by the Bollate prison, ranking first with their “Quinta Storia,” a game that will later be produced by Bollate Prison carpenters under the management of the “ESTIA” cooperative. The game will also be inserted in the “Vivawood Products” catalog, dedicated to objects built by prisoners in Bollate. The ladies then set up Calembour design, originally an informal group which today is a cooperative based in Bergamo. Three companies, Eidos (artisan company), Avenida, (communications company) and Zaffiria, joined forces and established Italiantoy, participating in the internationalization project of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Their destination is Germany, and they have 18 months to present the German market with quality toys: Italiantoy thus selected designer company Calembour design. The fortuitous encounter led to the design and the construction of the first prototypes for the toy catalogue, which was later presented at the Nuremberg Toy Fair.
