Mister 2 or 3-Seater Sofa by Philippe Starck for Cassina, 2004

Born in 1956 in Brianza, Italian designer and architect Piero Lissoni studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan, graduating in 1985. Together with his longtime partner Nicoletta Canesi, Lissoni founded Studio Lissoni (later renamed Lissoni Associati) in 1986, and the pair cofounded Graph.x in 1996 to focus on graphics projects.

Based in Milan, Lissoni is known for its clean, modern, industrial aesthetic. Lissoni Associati works in all areas of design, including industrial design, art direction, architecture, luxury hotels (notably the Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam), showrooms (Cassina in London , Boffi in Milan and New York), corporate headquarters, boats, and private residences. The Lissoni name is perhaps best known, however, for prolific modern designs in furniture, kitchen systems, and housewares. The studio collaborates with some of the world’s most famous brands, including Kartell, Knoll, Flos, Boffi, and Alessi, among others.

Italian furniture manufacturing giant Cassina, originally named Amedeo Cassina, was founded by brothers Cesare (1909-1979) and Umberto (1910-1992) Cassina in Meda, Italy in 1927. Although initially specialized in bespoke woodworking and high-end interiors, by the 1950s the brothers took the company in a new direction, anticipating the growing demand for mass-produced home furnishings. Cassina is often credited with introducing industrial design to Italy and has built an international reputation for collaborating with some of the world’s most respected designers.

Notably, in 1964 (while famed architect Le Corbusier was still alive), Cassina signed the first exclusive licensing agreement covering the edition rights for designs by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand. The company soon after launched the I Maestri Collection which over the decades has gathered major icons of design under the Cassina brand, such as the LC4 Lounge (1928) jointly designed by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret, and Perriand, as well as Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld’s 635 Red & Blue Armchair (1918), Scottish architect-designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House Chair (1902), and many more.

With a focus more on partnering with the best designers rather than creating and maintaining a particular style, Cassina is responsible for some of the most recognized and beloved designs of the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Highlights include Italian architect-designer Gio Ponti’s Superleggera Chair (1957), German designer Konstantin Grcic’s Kanu Chair (2009), Iranian-British architect Zaha Hadid’s Zephyr Sofa (2013), and French designer Philippe Starck’s My World Sofa (2013).  Throughout its visionary collaborations with both design luminaries and cutting-edge experiments with new talents, Cassina has remained dedicated to the Italian design ideals of craftsmanship and quality, and the brand continues to excel in the fusion of industrial technology and artisanal production.

Cassina’s designs are included in permanent collections the world over, such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Vitra Design Museum (Weil am Rhein) and London Design Museum.

Cassina is now a part of the prestigious Poltrona Frau Group.

* All images courtesy of Cassina.