Redefining Design: Stefano Seletti on the Seletti x IQOS Collaboration

Stefano Seletti is the creative soul of Seletti, a family-run company that has been blending design, art, and a touch of playfulness since 1964. With his curious and unconventional approach, he turns everyday objects into surprising pieces, mixing pop culture with the unexpected. Always open to bold collaborations, he believes design should make people smile and be full of surprises without ever taking itself too seriously. 

We had the chance to meet Stefano in the IQOS X Seletti Sensorium Piazza at Milan Design Week, where he introduced the collaboration between Seletti and IQOS under the name of Curious X. The press conference was a perfect opportunity to dive deeper into this exciting partnership. 

Q1: How did you see this project, especially from the perspective of a brand like Seletti? 

It’s been a very exciting and important opportunity for us. We’re a small company—just 40 people—so working with such a large, global brand was really meaningful. We learned a lot. It was not only our first time doing something like this in Italy, but also our first time seeing such a complex and impressive installation. From a technological point of view, it’s truly unique. And about Seletti’s partnership with IQOS for the new product IQOS will launch in Autumn, while the shape of the product might appear similar, the finishing and the colors will be something extremely new, something that IQOS has never done before. We at Seletti love difficult challenges, so we came together to create a completely new experience and product. 

Q2: How does this collaboration with Philip Morris and IQOS reimagine public space and promote a smoke-free future through design? 

At Seletti, we work with objects—furniture, lighting, design pieces—and we try to bring the same philosophy into the IQOS product. The idea was to create something that feels more like a jewel, a beautiful object that you’d be proud to put on the table. We wanted to make it spectacular, appealing, and elegant, while still serving its purpose. 

Q3: To what extent does this experience reflect Seletti’s philosophy of breaking traditional design rules? 

I wouldn’t say I follow a strict design philosophy—I’m not a designer or an architect. My way of working is more intuitive. I collaborate with designers, but even more so with artists. It’s about creating a new line or language through practical experience, not just academic knowledge. So, if there’s any “philosophy,” it’s that we learn by doing and by experimenting. 

Q4: How do you leverage design to promote environmental values and sustainability in your products? 

We’ve been working on sustainability for quite a while. For example, we started removing plastic from our packaging over 10 years ago. We always try to give a strong aesthetic to our projects while also making them durable. 

Q5: Considering your reputation for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, how did you approach the challenge of reimagining a product like IQOS? 

We always try to transform something functional into something pleasurable—something beautiful that people actually enjoy using. For IQOS, we wanted it to feel like a piece of jewelry, as I previously said, something you’re proud to place on the table. We aimed to elevate it beyond just being a device. 

Q6: What has been the most surprising or exciting aspect of working on this collaboration?

Honestly, it’s been full of exciting moments. As a small company, working with a large organization like this has been a big step. It was not only exciting but also incredibly useful because we’ve learned a lot. We’re proud of the journey and we hope to keep growing and working together in the future.