Joe Colombo

Italy (1930-1971)

A true emblem of Italian design, Joe Colombo studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brera and then architecture at the Polytechnic of Milan. Upon his father’s death in 1958, he took over the family factory, an experience that allowed the young designer to experiment with new production techniques and new materials such as fibreglass, PVC or polyethylene. His career took off when he opened his own design studio in 1962. His works are characterized by a futuristic style with the luminaire «Acrilica» or the armchairs «Elda» and «Tube chair». Innovative, he was the first to use one-block moulded plastic for his famous “Universale” chair.