Ettore Sottsass

(1917-2007)

Ettore Sottsass was an iconic Italian designer and architect, better known as the godfather of Italian design. Hereditary artisan, he created a great deal furniture, objects of décor, lighting pieces and office machines, that combined striking bold design and high functionality. Sottsass is one of the most important figures of the 20th century.

Son of a skillful architect, Ettore Sottsass followed his father’s steps and in 1939 graduated from the Polytechnic University of Turin with a degree in architecture and worked with his father until 1947, when he founded his own studio of architecture and industrial design in Milan. Endlessly creative and eager to experiment, the talented artisan tried out lots of techniques and styles and created various items from ceramics to photographs, from jewellery to pieces of furniture.

In 1956, he started working for George Nelson, renowned American industrial designer. In the same year he was hired as a design consultant for Olivetti, Italian manufacturer, founded by Adriano Olivetti. It was there that Sottsass made his name as a designer and became world-famous after having come up with outstanding typewriter designs that have become icons of 20th century design. He also collaborated with Venini, Knoll, Alessi, Johanna Grawunder and CIRVA.

In constant search of inspiration and new fresh ideas, Ettore Sottsass not only travelled the world and cooperated with experienced artisans, but was also willing to collaborate with young professionals such as Archizoom Associati and Superstudio. In 1980, he founded The Memphis Group (active until 1987), which promoted the ideas of the Radical movement in design.

Working for Olivetti, Sottsass developed the first Italian mainframe computer, the Elea 9003, which brought him the Compasso d’Oro, prestigious Italian industrial design award in 1959. Among Sottsass’s other notable works of design are the Superbox cabinet and Ultrafragola mirror, created for Poltronova, Malabar bookcase and Tahiti lamp, designed during the Memphis period and the iconic “Miss don’t you like caviar” chair. Nowadays stunning and extraordinary pieces by Sottsass are part of the collections of the world’s biggest museums, including MOMA, the Design Museum in London, Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris and the Vitra Design Museum.

Along with such iconic designers and artisans as Piero Fornasetti, Harvey Guzzini and Tommaso Barbi Ettore Sottsass is a key figure in the history of contemporary architecture and industrial design. A vast body of work, created by the prominent masters, has forever changed public attitude to the concepts of beauty, functionality and compatibility in terms of interior design and décor.