Giangiacomo Razeto, Giangi for his friends, is the creative behind the company F.lli Razeto & Casareto in Sori, specialised in making handles for vessels. Born in 1969 in Camogli, Giangi, together with his brother Andrea, has always been at the front lines with the entrepreneurial world and with the clients of a well established business like theirs, specialised in the manufacture of accessories for shipping and pleasure boating, especially locks and handles for furniture and doors, which spring from the pencil and creativity of Giangi. The concept then passes on to manufacturing with a high technical profile, with design solutions that can range through to full custom solutions.

Giangi Razeto, a handle is a handle. How can you express your creativity by designing an object for daily use?

I think I have serious mental issues [he laughs]. I concentrated so much on handles that I only seem to reason in “key” with handles. And I can see them in all their possible combinations. I fear it may not be a distinction…

What is the design you are closest to and why?

Certainly OSSH, the illuminated handle for fire doors, because it is an object of daily use but it can “think” and contribute to saving human lives in case of fire.

And what is the product that you dream of designing?

It is a development of the OSSH handle. I discovered that during a fire, in the smoke it often happens that fire fighters die looking for people who may not even be there. I would like it that our handle be capable of signalling rescuers about whether or not there are still people in danger.

Do you feel you are a man of the sea or a creative?

If they took the sea away from me, I would no longer be creative. I’m a creative of the sea.

A sail boat or motorboat?

I was a competitor on the optimists and will always be a sailor! I’m thinking of going back to sea to transmit my passion to my son. But I love all types of boats. I had a Boston 13 which I miss; I dream of putting my grandfather’s old skiff back in the water; I would really love to have a Franchini Open.

Giuseppe Orrù

Photos by Claudio Colombo

BOATING IN A PORTRAIT A project by Liguria Nautica and Claudio Colombo showcasing a gallery of Ligurian people or those who have ties with our region, who have left their mark on Italian boating, or who have deep rooted connections with our sea. For each of them, we present a photographic portrait take by Claudio Colombo and an interview with our journalist, Giuseppe Orrù, to better know each person, in their personal lives as well.