--- title: "Ettore Sottsass" url: "https://www.stylepark.com/en/designer/ettore-sottsass" language: "en" type: "designer" description: "Individual designer items from Ettore Sottsass ✓ Wide range of products & designs ➜ Get inspired now" published: "2001-05-01T00:00:00+02:00" modified: "2026-04-26T17:25:41+02:00" image: "https://www.stylepark.com/apple-touch-icon.png" --- # Ettore Sottsass Milano, Italy - [Biography](https://www.stylepark.com/en/designer/ettore-sottsass) - [Products](https://www.stylepark.com/en/products/designer/ettore-sottsass) - [Manufacturer](https://www.stylepark.com/en/designer/ettore-sottsass/manufacturer) - [Articles](https://www.stylepark.com/en/designer/ettore-sottsass/contributions) - [Website](http://www.sottsass.it) Address: ## Ettore Sottsass Sottsass Associati Via Melone 2 20121 Milano Italy T: + 39 02 87197195 F: + 39 02 87151457 [www.sottsass.it](http://www.sottsass.it) Products by Ettore Sottsass [![CENTRO DUO 1 right](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/Kaldewei_Industrial_130_CENTRO-DUO-1-rechts_1700x750x485.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/kaldewei/centro-duo-1-right) [Kaldewei CENTRO DUO 1 right](https://www.stylepark.com/en/kaldewei/centro-duo-1-right) [![MEISTERSTÜCK CONODUO 1 right](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/1722_r445_1_0_0_0_0_0_0_0_0_0_0_0.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/kaldewei/meisterstuck-conoduo-1-right) [Kaldewei MEISTERSTÜCK CONODUO 1 right](https://www.stylepark.com/en/kaldewei/meisterstuck-conoduo-1-right) [![Pausania](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/d/delightfull/produkte/a/artemide/produkte/pausania/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/pausania-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/artemide/pausania) [Artemide Pausania](https://www.stylepark.com/en/artemide/pausania) [![INTRO](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/INTRO-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/zumtobel/intro) [Zumtobel INTRO](https://www.stylepark.com/en/zumtobel/intro) [![LIGHT FIELDS evolution](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/articles/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/LIGHT-FIELDS-evolution_1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/zumtobel/light-fields-evolution) [Zumtobel LIGHT FIELDS evolution](https://www.stylepark.com/en/zumtobel/light-fields-evolution) [![Mettsass](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/b/bd-barcelona-design/produkte/mettsass/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/mettsass-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/bd-barcelona-design/mettsass) [BD Barcelona Design Mettsass](https://www.stylepark.com/en/bd-barcelona-design/mettsass) [![ZZ66A-546](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/b/bitossi-ceramiche/produkte/zz66a-546/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/zz66a-546-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/bitossi-ceramiche/zz66a-546) [Bitossi Ceramiche ZZ66A-546](https://www.stylepark.com/en/bitossi-ceramiche/zz66a-546) [![ZZ66A-545](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/b/bitossi-ceramiche/produkte/zz66a-545/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/zz66a-545-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/bitossi-ceramiche/zz66a-545) [Bitossi Ceramiche ZZ66A-545](https://www.stylepark.com/en/bitossi-ceramiche/zz66a-545) [![Nine-0™ SA Swivel armchair](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/e/emeco/produkte/nine-0-sa-swivel-armchair/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/nine-0-sa-swivel-armchair-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/emeco/nine-0-sa-swivel-armchair) [Emeco Nine-0™ SA Swivel armchair](https://www.stylepark.com/en/emeco/nine-0-sa-swivel-armchair) [![Nine-0™ OA Swivel armchair](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/e/emeco/produkte/nine-0-oa-swivel-armchair/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/nine-0-oa-swivel-armchair-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/emeco/nine-0-oa-swivel-armchair) [Emeco Nine-0™ OA Swivel armchair](https://www.stylepark.com/en/emeco/nine-0-oa-swivel-armchair) [![H 38 F RS 41](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/f/fusital/produkte/h-38-f-rs-41/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/h-38-f-rs-41-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/fusital/h-38-f-rs-41) [Fusital H 38 F RS 41](https://www.stylepark.com/en/fusital/h-38-f-rs-41) [![H 38 F](https://www.stylepark.com/assets/transformations/manufacturers/f/fusital/produkte/h-38-f/_1410x940_crop_center-center_none/h-38-f-1.jpg)](https://www.stylepark.com/en/fusital/h-38-f) [Fusital H 38 F](https://www.stylepark.com/en/fusital/h-38-f) [All products](https://www.stylepark.com/en/products/designer/ettore-sottsass) Biography Ettore Sottsass has been a towering presence in Italian design for more than half a century. He has produced an enormous breadth of work across many disciplines, including glass and ceramics for Alessi and electronic products for Olivetti, but is best known as founder of the groundbreaking 1980’s design group Memphis. To mark his 90th birthday in 2007 the Design Museum will exhibit Sottsass’ most iconic designs in Ettore Sottsass – A Life in Design from 29 March to 10 June. Born in Innsbruck in 1917 to an architect father, Ettore Sottsass Snr, Sottsass was destined to be an architect from an early age. His family moved to Italy so that he could study architecture at Turin University, but upon graduating in 1939 he was immediately called upon to join the Italian army where he served until the end of World War II. He began his professional career working with his father before forming his own practice. Inspired to focus on industrial design after spending time in New York in the late 50’s, Sottsass became consultant to the new electronics division of Olivetti, the Italian industrial group. Here he created a series of technically innovative products – including the first Italian computer, the Elea 9003, and the bright red plastic 1970 Valentine typewriter – which, in their aesthetics, reflected his love of pop art and Beat culture. In 1980 Sottsass formed Memphis with a group of younger avant-garde designers from around the world, including Andrea Branzi, Alessandro Mendini Martine Bedin, and Michele De Lucchi. With the aim to revive Radical Design, and breaking the rules of the slick minimalism of the 70’s, they produced products that featured plastic and laminate surfaces, kitsch geometric patterns and bright colours. Memphis captured the attention of the mass media, and dominated the early 1980’s design scene. Sottsass parted with the group in 1985 to concentrate on Sottsass Associati, his Milan based architecture and design practice where he still works to date. In a return to architecture he has since completed a series of private houses and public buildings, notably the Malpensa 2000 airport near Milan, and continues with projects in glass and ceramics. Articles about Ettore Sottsass [INTERVIEWS Put into perspective 5/23/2025 What shapes our perception of design? How are objects staged? These are the questions explored in the exhibition ‘Hello Image – The Staging of Things’ at the Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe Hamburg. The curators Esther Ruelfs and Viktoria Lea Heinrich explain the concept in an interview.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/hello-image-staging-of-things-mkg-hamburg-design-interview-stylepark-magazine) [INTERVIEWS Colour, not decoration 5/16/2023 Emanuele Stamuli is a naval architect and designs high-end stores, mainly for international, popular fashion brands, as well as residential projects and hip furniture. He tells us in an interview how he follows his own path with a rationalist approach to design, a soft spot for detail and sustainability.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/architecture-furniture-design-interiordesign-emanuele-stamuli-stylepark-magazine) [ORGATEC 2022 – REVIEW Flexibility for stability 10/31/2022 Orgatec is back and with it a homely jigsaw puzzle that maps the development of different requirements in the working context since 2018. Our review.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/orgatec-office-work-development-homely-new-work-homeoffice-stylepark) [RETAIL Memphis in Cologne 8/22/2022 In the Stollwerck-Haus in the Rhine metropolis, a unique retail design from the mind of Ettore Sottsass, the co-founder of the Memphis Group, is partly accessible again after careful restoration work.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/memphis-cologne-ettore-sottsass-retail-wempe-stylepark) [DESIGN A room within a room 12/9/2021 With the true-to-the-original reconstruction of a large part of the "Casa Lana", the Triennale in Milan pays tribute to the work of the architect and designer Ettore Sottsass.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/ettore-sottsass-triennale-casa-lana) [NEW WORK Breaking the Grid 3/2/2021 With their Douglas House in London’s West End, Note Design Studio has created a new feel-good place for flexible working. In the process, the Swedish collective has given this 1930s building a gentle nudge and a slight wave.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/note-design-studio-tog-douglas-house-london) [DESIGN What are they doing in there? 9/14/2017 Ettore Sottsass would have turned 100 years old today. We still know far too little about the designer and architect who looked beyond the walls of the familiar.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/designer-ettore-sottsass-100-birthday) [DESIGN Magically simple 6/23/2017 He was fascinated by the material and never lost his delight in experimentation: On Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Le Stanze del Vetro are presenting sensational glass works by Ettore Sottsass.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/ettore-sottsass-glass-venice-murano-exhibition-10) [FAIRS & EVENTS The Donkey in the System 4/20/2016 Salone 1: In Milan, well-being is the order of the day – Ettore patiently bears burdens,there are benches, small tables, and large sofas.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/the-donkey-in-the-system) [FAIRS & EVENTS Sliced chair 1/25/2016 It’s back: “Slice” by Pierre Charpin. Martina Metzner spoke to the French designer about his unusual armchair.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/sliced-chair) [DESIGN Closing Fast 18:Even Dionysus needs a mirror 12/18/2015 “Handle with Care” is the latest addition to Antonia Henschel’s series of “Objects” – this time they’re made of glass, china and ceramic.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/closing-fast-18even-dionysus-needs-a-mirror) [DESIGN Wear pine 11/11/2015 Do furniture design and fashion swing to the same rhythm? We had a look round in Cologne, London, Milan, New York, Paris and Stockholm: And started with color.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/wear-pine) [DESIGN Macchina da scrivere: Ettore Sottsass and Olivetti 7/1/2015 Typewriters are hybrids, combining elements of both tools and machines. As for their design, they remained as good as interchangeable for a long time. Ettore Sottsass put a stop to all that with his designs for Olivetti: the “Tekne” and “Praxis 48” models.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/macchina-da-scrivere-ettore-sottsass-and-olivetti) [FAIRS & EVENTS What only the giraffe knows 4/28/2015 This year during there were once again countless items of furniture and special moments during the Milan Salone. A small photo album of memories.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/what-only-the-giraffe-knows) [FAIRS & EVENTS Milan, the full Monty! 4/6/2015 Given their sheer immensity, you need to plan your visit to the Salone and the Fuorisalone in Milan quite carefully. Find out below which events, places, shows and symposiums are the real musts.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/milan-the-full-monty) [FEATURED Spearhead of an avant-garde of comfort 1/18/2015 Michele De Lucchi is “A&W Designer of the Year 2015”. So who is Michele De Lucchi? The last surviving champion of post-modernism, a traditionalist or a man of today after all? A close look at De Lucchi the designer AND the architect.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/spearhead-of-an-avant-garde-of-comfort) [DESIGN Anthology with friends 3/16/2014 He owned a drugstore, but ever since his passion was design. He encouraged, motivated, he was design entrepreneur, consultant and museumsfounder. With Anthologie Quartett he edited designs by Ettore Sottsass, Elizabeth Garouste und Mattia Bonetti. A memorial to Rainer Krause, who died in June 2013.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/anthology-with-friends) [MAGAZINE Going vintage ain’t enough 6/16/2013 The Design Miami trade fair, which runs parallel to Art Basel, was not very convincing. It lacked a clear curatorial thrust, exciting exhibitions and statements. And not least there was no clear position on contemporary design, although this is so sorely needed.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/going-vintage-aint-enough) [FAIRS & EVENTS Work wherever you want! Office worlds 2010 – part 1: of citizens, territories and islands 11/8/2010 You will search in vain for a new paradigm or new typologies of work at the Orgatec 2010. Instead, people are busy working away at furniture systems that enable the temporary privacy of retreat in the midst of the open field of omnipresent communication.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/work-wherever-you-want-office-worlds-2010-part-1-of-citizens-territories-and-islands) [MAGAZINE Designers don't drink from paper cups 8/7/2008 Achille Castiglioni, Andrea Branzi, Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass and Richard Sapper talk in these short "Design Interviews", which are now out on DVD, about their paths to what was still, at that time, a new discipline, about their own development and careers, about their search for design solutions, which, for the most part, still owed greater allegiance to society than to industry.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/designers-dont-drink-from-paper-cups) [DESIGN Addio to Ettore Sottsass 1/8/2008 Ettore Sottsass died in his home in Milan aged 90 on the very last day of 2007. Not only in Italy, and not only in the world of design and architecture are people mourning the loss of a designer of genius, as the world has lost a great humanist. For Sottsass, who construed design as the incessant search for a possible metaphor of existence, the search has come to a dramatic end.](https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/addio-to-ettore-sottsass)