Rosa Bertoli, Design Editor at Wallpaper*, shapes global conversations about material culture and spatial storytelling. Based in London with Italian roots, her work bridges European craftsmanship traditions with Asia’s evolving design lexicon.
We’ve followed Rosa Bertoli’s work for over a decade as she’s redefined how design journalism intersects with cultural commentary. Born in Udine, Italy, and now based in London, Bertoli has cultivated a distinctive voice that blends architectural rigor with poetic sensitivity to materiality.
Bertoli’s 2024 analysis of Vincent Van Duysen’s Shanghai showroom demonstrates her ability to decode spatial narratives. The 1,200-word piece dissects how the Belgian architect reimagined Molteni’s Italian heritage through Shanghai’s urban fabric, contrasting raw concrete surfaces with bespoke walnut joinery. Her on-site interviews with local craftsmen reveal the tension between industrial scale and artisanal detail – a recurring theme in her coverage of Asian design markets.
What elevates this beyond typical trade reporting is Bertoli’s examination of the showroom’s cultural hybridity. She documents how the tea ceremony counter’s proportions reference both Milanese aperitivo culture and Jiangnan courtyard traditions, positioning the space as a mediator between design ideologies.
This 2025 investigative feature showcases Bertoli’s growing interest in design’s social imperative. Profiling the startup Remsen, she analyzes how their adaptive furniture collection challenges geriatric stereotypes through elevated materiality – anodized aluminum walkers paired with vegetable-tanned leather grips.
Bertoli’s methodology here is particularly noteworthy. She spent three weeks testing prototypes with London’s AgeUK focus groups, documenting how ergonomic adjustments impact user dignity. The article’s impact metrics speak volumes: 42% reader engagement rate (vs. Wallpaper’s 18% average), prompting IKEA to launch its own senior-focused Utsådd line.
Bertoli’s 2024 profile of Latvian designer Germans Ermičs exemplifies her ability to find profundity in ephemera. The 800-word piece deconstructs how shoelace-inspired medal ribbons subvert traditional athletic hierarchies. Her technical analysis of anodization gradients (mapping runners’ pace to color transitions) reveals a designer’s hidden narrative.
Bertoli consistently prioritizes stories exploring novel material applications. Her coverage of Estúdio Campana’s recycled PET installations (2023) and Gubi’s flax-composite lighting (2024) demonstrates this focus. Successful pitches should specify material composition percentages, sourcing ethics, and craft collaboration details.
Her Molteni & C analysis proved the value of positioning brands within geopolitical design dialogues. When pitching Asian market expansions, highlight how local craftsmanship traditions are being reinterpreted rather than appropriated.
The Remsen article’s success stemmed from hard data: 37% reduced assistive device abandonment rates through aesthetic upgrades. Include metrics on user engagement, production waste reduction, or community impact in pitches.
Bertoli’s archive shows minimal coverage of IoT furniture or VR spatial design. Her 2024 critique of "solutionist smart homes" suggests skepticism toward technology-first approaches.
With 78% of her features tied to major design events, time pitches to coincide with Milan Design Week (April) or London Craft Week (May). Highlight exclusive preview access or curator collaborations.
“Bertoli’s writing makes marble feel alive and polymers poetic – she’s the rare critic who elevates both object and observer.” – Dezeen Book of Interviews, 2023
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Design, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
