'Figura Humana 1948' Rug by Eduardo Chillida for Nanimarquina

Eduardo Chillida studied in Madrid and then went to Paris, where he was influenced by Pablo Palazuelo in his first figurative work, done in plaster and clay. Other influences were Frank Lloyd Wright, Albert Giacometti and Joan Miro. In 1950, he began doing printmaking lithography, woodcuts, etchings, drypoints and silkscreens. His graphics are not related to his sculpture but are creative expressions unto themselves. During the 60s, his graphics tended to be massive black lines on white, giving the appearance of realistic shapes.

Modern style meets traditional craftsmanship in the graphic and richly colorful rugs that populate nanimarquina’s showrooms. A family-run business based in Barcelona, nanimarquina creates timeless, long-lasting rugs and carpets that bring alluring textures and pops of color into contemporary spaces while paying homage to the ancient traditions associated with carpet-making. Nanimarquina’s ever-evolving exploration of combining the old and the new sets the company apart as a leader in innovative rug design.

In 1961, Spanish industrial designer Rafael Marquina won the FAD Award for his design of an oil cruet. Inspired by her father’s creativity, Nani Marquina studied industrial design at the Escola Massana before pursuing a career in interior design. She discovered that the market for furnishings didn’t exactly offer a wealth of modernist rugs to complement contemporary interiors, so Nani began designing her own textiles in 1982. She founded her eponymous brand In 1987.

Bringing in leading Spanish designers including Pere “Peret” Torrent, Sybilla and Javier Mariscal, nanimarquina quickly became a leader in textile design, garnering praise in Europe as well as the United States.

Marquina traveled to India, Nepal and Pakistan to learn about their rug-making traditions. Inspired by the hard work and skill demonstrated by traditional weavers — and moved by how fundamental rug-making is to the cultural history of these parts of the world — Marquina decided to move the company in a new direction. In 1994, nanimarquina relocated their production facilities to India to work with the region’s talented artisans (today, the manufacturer produces rugs in Nepal, Pakistan and India). 

Maria Piera Marquina, Nani’s daughter, now heads the company as CEO, helping nanimarquina continue to expand into the international market and maintain its prominent position as a purveyor of fine textiles worldwide. Over time, the manufacturer’s founder has collaborated with designer and Canary Islands native Elisa Padrón to create the Tres collection, a luxurious line of hand-loomed rugs that is inclusive of textiles intended for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Padrón continues to create rugs for nanimarquina and directs the company’s in-house design team, which includes award-winning designer Ariadna Miquel.

Nanimarquina is as dedicated to the communities that are home to the brand’s facilities as it is to producing quality textiles. The company endeavors to use rug-making to make the world a better place. In collaborating with the Care & Fair association, nanimarquina founded the Kala project, which directs a portion of their earnings to ensure education for their workers and their families. Nanimarquina also uses recycled materials such as bicycle tires in some of their designs and has incorporated the use of biodegradable, eco-friendly materials in the rug-making process.

Nanimarquina’s dazzling designs have earned the company many accolades and international recognition. Their designs have received the Red Dot Award and the IWEC award, among others.

Authentic nanimarquina textiles have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Salone del Mobile and at the Council of Human Rights at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. On the company’s 25th anniversary, nanimarquina’s artisans created a giant patchwork rug as a public art installment in Barcelona. Nanimarquina’s carpets are available through the company’s hundreds of distributors worldwide, and the brand has partnered with the likes of Fendi, Harrods and Rolls Royce.

Find nanimarquina rugs on 1stDibs.