If one image could capture the Italian tile industry, this would surely be it.

At Cersaie 2005 Italian mosaic company Aquae Musivae displayed a crowd-stopping mosaic-covered vintage Fiat 500.

The aim was to promote the company’s range of glass and ceramic mosaics in 25 by 25, 20 by 20 and 10 by 10mm squares, plus 18mm round smalti. Using over 100 colours, the range of possibilities on diplay was virtually endless.

In 2005 Aquae Musivae was working with former Opiocolor Export Manager, Jean-Pierre Denoix, in a new venture called Global Mosaics Industries. With offices in Thailand, China and France, the company offered retailers and distributors the opportunity to develop own brand mosaics using tesserae sourced from quality manufacturers at competitive prices.

The Fiat 500 was one way to attract new customers!

This item first appeared in Tile & Stone Journal, November 2005.