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Designed by: Lella Vignelli


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Designed by: Lella Vignelli


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Acknowledgements

My most sincere appreciation to:

Jan Conradi, with many thanks for her patience and advice in readingand correcting my English.

Mauro Sarri, who endured mycontinuous changes of the layoutsand type to achieve this book design.

New York, NY 2013

This book is dedicatedto Lella Vignelli,an inspiration to allwomen designers who

forcefully stand on the power of their merits.

Massimo Vignelli


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For decades, the collaborative role ofwomen as architects or designers workingwith their husbands or partners has beenunder appreciated. Fifty years ago, it was

standard practice that the head of the officewas the man and the woman partner hada subordinate role. At best, the womanscreative input and professional influencewas only vaguely accepted; often hercontributions were dismissed and sometimeseven forgotten. Even some of the most

famous partnerships: Mies van der Roheand Lilly Reich, Le Corbusier and Charlotte

Perriand, Alvar and Aino Aalto, Charlesand Ray Eames, and many others weremurmured about but not openly recognizedas such.

Female architects have often beenrelegatedby assumptions, by the media,by ignorance or arroganceto supportingroles, even when they shared the positionof partners. In the last thirty years, some

professional women have become celebritieson their own, but that phenomenon is stillin its adolescence. In Italy, we have some

grand dames of designGae Aulenti, AnnaCastelli Ferreri, Cini Boeriwho haveearned recognition on their own merits,but the list is quite short. Too short. In June

2013, Architectural Record, an Americanmagazine, noted that even now, when forty

percent of the architecture students in theUnited States are women, only seventeen

percent of partners and principals ofarchitectural firms are women.

New Yorks Museum of Modern Art openedan installation, Designing Modern Women18901990, in October 2013. It showcasesa diverse range of works created by women,including some of Lellas work, andacknowledges that modern design of thetwentieth century was profoundly shapedand enhanced by the creativity of women.This book is a demonstration of the workof Lella Vignelli, a strong and successful

professional woman, and I hope it provides

Introduction inspiration and incentive for young womenwho are shaping their careers. Times arechanging

The supporting role of the woman architect has often been created by macho attitudesof the male partner. Most of the glory wentto the men (not accidentally) while thewomen, as partner architects, found thattheir role was dismissed or totally ignored.This was true even in Lellas family, wherenearly everyone was an architect. Herbrother, Gino Valle, was acknowledged for

his architectural work, but the collaborationwith his sister, Nani Vallea talented andconscious professional in her own right, wasoften dismissed.

Lella and I were affected by these standingmores early in our careers. It is why we

purposely built the notion of the two of us asa brand, but it took time for the others to seeand understand this. The architectural and

design press had a bad habit of creditingonly the man, forgetting the woman partner. For many years, our Vignelli office sent photographs of projectswith propercreditsto the magazines, but too often wewould see the published material creditingmy name only. This created a constant sceneof embarrassment and frustration,to the point that I threw publications awayto avoid unpleasant confrontations with

Lella. Eventually we became more knownand then Lellas name began to appear

properly credited, but it took a long time.

Most of the time, the issue of properlyassigning credit is generated bya misunderstanding of the role of the

partners in a collaboration. Collaborationbetween designers and architects existswhen the partners share a common cultural,intellectual platform. It is not holdinga pencil with four hands that makes a

partnership; it is sharing the creative actand exercising creative criticism which isreflected in the end result. A partnership,

in life and in the profession, should be basedon mutual respect and appreciation for each

partners talent, sensibility, and culture. No partnership can exist, or last, without this fundamental basis.

Lella and I have been partners, lovers, amarried professional couple for more than

half a century. From the beginning, ourrelationship has been bonded by our mutual

passion for architecture and design. Fromthe beginning, Lella had a strong visual

sensibility and a precise understanding ofour projects. When we first began, manyof our projects were in graphic design andalthough that was never her focus, she hadthe invaluable capacity of understanding myinterpretation of a project and an ability toquickly evaluate its merits or demerits. Witha forceful lucidity she has always pinpointedwhat was right or wrong on all of our work,always explaining the reasons why. In a

similar way, I would express my critique of

her work, suggest variations, express myappreciation or disagree with her, butalways we discussed how we could makethe work better. That is what made it a

partnership. We had complete trust in eachothers judgment, even if sometimes thediscussions were quite animated

In natures pairings, the males of a speciescan more freely come and go, while the

females are committed through gestation,delivery, and raising the offspring untilready to be self-sufficient. Similarly, it

should be no surprise that in a professional partnership, it is often the woman whocarries the project through the multiple

stages of development and implementation,assuring that every detail has been carriedout according to the original intentions.

I think that men tend to chase new projectsand then reconvene with their partnerto start the creative process once again.Our collaboration reflected this kind of

structure, where we had complementary and stimulating roles. Many of the projects in this


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book were completely Lellas, from beginningto end, and others were done by me in strictcollaboration with Lella. Always, we wereaware and involved in each others work.

Lella often said, Massimo is the dreamer, I am the realist. He flies high, and sometimes I have to pull him down In any case, the end products have alwaysreflected our mutual way of understandingand approaching design problems. Bothof us despise obsolescence in design; weconsider it an irresponsible attitude towardthe user and toward society. We detesta wasteful culture based on greed, wedetest the exploitation of the consumer andof resources; we see this as an immoralattitude. We shared these principles from thebeginning of our life together.

Lellas sensibility toward natural materials,textures, and colors is quite apparent on

her work. Linen, wool, silk, woods, silver

are often the foundation of her creative palette. Her clothing design also reflected the same approach, based on sober values andthoughtful intelligence. Lellas work, and herlife, has been a fantastic blend of logic and

playfulness, spirit and pragmatism, down-to-earth logic and idealistic vision.

There is no doubt that graphic design wasthe most visible side of our partnership,but our involvement across the whole fieldof design is what built our professionalimage. In that, Lellas role is significant. Ourborders within design were often blurred,and we liked to keep it that way

Biography: Lella Vignelli

Elena (Lella) Valle was born August 13,1934, in Udine, the main city of the Friuliregion, on the upper east side of Italy. Thisis a region of mountain people, used to long

silences and few words; a region whose people have deeply rooted integrity values,remote from the urban frills of other areas.

Lella was born in a family of architects. Her father, Provino Valle, built a main churchon a side of the square where her brotherGino Valle would, many years later, builda terrific monument commemorating the

Partisans War. Her sister, Nani Valle, wasalso an architect and a beloved professor atthe School of Architecture in Venice. Naniand Gino were partners in the Valle Studio.

A third sister, Mariolina, was the onlyone to follow a different career although

her daughter Caterina is now a brilliantarchitect operating in New York. Ginos sonis also an architect. Architecture, as you can

see, runs very deeply in Lellas veins.

In school, Lella was always at the headof the class. At the university, she always

had the highest points. She was beautiful, serious, intelligent, and sensible. She hada fascinating family background that was

pragmatically grounded and culturallyaware. She was different from the Milanese

girls I had known. When we met (at anarchitectural convention), I immediately feltthat she should be the woman of my life.We started a correspondence and eventuallywe both moved to the School of Architecturein Venice; me from Milano, she from Udine;

so that we could be closer to each other.

When I was offered an opportunity to cometo the USA, with a fellowship that would

place me near Boston, we wanted to sharethe experience. To avoid conflict with

her family, we decided it was time to getmarried so that we could travel together.Consequently, Gino helped Lella arrangea fellowship at the MIT so that she could

continue her architecture studies. We spentone year working and studying and then wetook a trip across the USA.

On our way back, we stopped in Chicago to see some friends and they introduced me to Jay Doblin, then Director of the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology,who hired me to teach graphic design. Lellawas introduced to architect Bruce Grahamat the Chicago office of Skidmore Owings &

Merrill (SOM), who hired her for the interiorsdepartment. So, we moved to Chicago. Forthe following two years, we became familiarwith the local design and architecture scene.We met Mies van der Rohe, our great master,and several other great architects. Lellastalent and wisdom was quickly appreciatedat SOM and she was involved with severalimportant interior projects.

I was also working part time at the Design Lab of Container Corporation of America

(CCA). It was a useful experience, but thebest aspect was meeting Ralph Eckerstrom,then Vice President of Advertising for CCA.

Lella and I met with Ralph almost every day for happy hours, discussing design issuesand life. Two years passed quickly andwhen our visas expired, we had to return to

Italy. We settled in Milano, where I already had a vast network of connections. Lella,then pregnant, completed her degree inarchitecture, and we were ready to start our

professional life, and our family. We quickly set up our own office and from the beginningwe worked across the whole field ofdesign, doing graphics, furniture, products,exhibitions, and showroom interiors.

Some of the first interior assignments wereceived were showrooms and trade showexhibits for important companies: Pirelli,

Rank Xerox, Olivetti, and several publishers. Lella was deeply involved in all of these projects, Being a woman architect in thosetimes was not so easy, though Lella said itwas better in Italy than it was in the USA.


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to continue our working relationship andcommissioned a showroom and an importantexhibition at the Louvre in Paris. It was a

golden opportunity for us and we both gaveour best in that project. The Minneapolis

Museum of Fine Arts was a large project that followed the Louvre exhibition, then camethe Saint Peters Church project in New York,covering every design need from interiors to

furniture, silverware, graphics, and eventhe organ!

From the beginning of our office, Lellawas involved on the design side (except for

graphic design as I mentioned before. I wasmostly doing that, though she contributeda critical voice that I respected.) We cametogether in all three-dimensional projects,and she also managed the administrative

side of the business. Of course she wasalso busy as a mother and at our home.

Sometimes I was amazed that she could doall of this and do it so well.

Most of the projects in this book areorganized in chronological sequence withincategories. Not all of our projects are here;

I omitted the graphic projects where Lellawas not directly involved. Unfortunately,

I could not include all of her work; thereare several projects where we have nodocumentation since images were nevertaken or the photos have been lost. Even so,

her vision becomes clear within these pages.

Lellas professional activities can be summarized in these categories: officeinteriors, showroom interiors, exhibitions,

furniture design, product design, silverware, jewelry and clothing design. All of this workbears the mark of clarity and simplicitywhich is specific to her design approach. Allof it shows a distinctive sense of pragmatism;there is no room for meaningless decorationor arbitrary exploits. Lellas work is solid,timeless, responsible, andin its essenceextremely elegant. Her personality has made

her a role model for all women who have

been in professional contact with her. Her generosity and spirit became a beacon for many young people; a beacon ofclarity, dignity, and determination. Herachievements inspired them.

In the course of her career, Lella headeda team of designers who worked closelywith her. Among them, I particularlyacknowledge Michael Donovan, Henry

Altchek, Michelle Kolb, Sharon Singer,Yoshimi Kono, Paolo Leggi, and above all,

David Law.

The incipient loss of her memory and words,caused by the cruelty of Alzheimers disease,

forces the end of a most significant and fruitful collaboration. It is the end of one phase, perhaps the best of our lives, and thebeginning of another based on sheer loveand admirationlove for the marvelouswoman who has deeply enriched my life inevery possible way.

* For more information about the history of Unimark, readUnimark International: The Design of Business and theBusiness of Design by Jan Conradi, published in 2010by Lars Mller.

Contractors often undervalued her positionand undermined her authority, but in theend Lella made it quite clear who was incharge. This was blatant sex discriminationand all female architects were subjected to it.Only the brave could overcame it. Lella wasone of them.

In 1965, Ralph Eckerstrom and I, alongwith a few other designers and businessmen,

founded Unimark International* to focuson design and marketing. The companyinitially had offices in Chicago, Milan, and

New York, and within a few years it becamethe worlds largest design corporation, witheleven offices around the world. Shortly afterit began, Lella and I moved to New York

so that I could manage that office (in Mies Seagram building!) while I was directing design for the whole company.Our son Luca was 3 years old and a baby,daughter Valentina, would be born the

following month.

At that time in the USA, corporations oftenbanned a husband and wife from workingtogether within the company. Unimark alsodiscouraged this and Lella was not happyabout it. She was dedicated to raising ourchildren for few years, but at the same time

she served as a consultant to Unimark forany interior projects. Being relegated to acontractual position was really not sufficientinvolvement for a person like Lella. She

started applying some pressure to establishour own office again, as we had in Milano.

In 1971, I left Unimark and opened anoffice with Lella; Vignelli Associates was inbusiness once again.

Initially we worked out of our home, butafter a short time Unimark decided to closethe New York office, They generously offeredthe space to us, so we were back in ouroffice, though with a different name on thedoor Some of the clients wed worked withat Unimark decided to stay with us, which

helped us start our new office. Knoll wanted

In 1971, the Vignellis established Vignelli Associates, whereLella Vignelli was initially Executive Vice President, and thenChief Executive Officer. Seven years later, they formed VignelliDesigns, a company dedicated to product and furniture design,of which she is President.

Mrs. Vignellis work is widely featured in design publicationsin the United States and abroad. Examples of her work havebeen included in the permanent collections of numerousmuseums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NewYork, the Muse des Arts Dcoratifs in Montreal, and Die NeueSammlung in Munich.

The Vignellis work has been the subject of a documentaryand two feature length television programs that have beentelevised worldwide.

A monographic exhibition of the Vignellis work toured Europebetween 1989 and 1993, and was featured inSt. Petersburg, Moscow, Helsinki, London, Budapest,Barcelona, Copenhagen, Munich, Prague and Paris.

Lella Vignelli lectured in schools and Universities and was afrequent speaker and juror for national and international designorganizations.

Mrs. Vignelli has been the recipient of many awards including:

1973 American Institute of Architects, Industrial Arts Medal1983 AIGA Gold Medal1988 Interior Design Hall of Fame1991 National Arts Club Gold Medal for Design1992 Interior Product Designers Fellowship of Excellence1995 The Brooklyn Museum Design Award forLifetime Achievement2001 The Russel Wright Award for Design Excellence2003 The National Design Museum Lifetime AchievementAward2005 The Architectural Award from the American Academy ofArts and Letters.

She is also the recipient of Honorary Doctorates from:1982 The Parsons School of Design, New York1994 The Corcoran School of Art, Washington D.C.

2002 The President Medal of the Rochester Institute ofTechnology, Rochester, NY.


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Furniture Design


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Poltronova, Saratoga line, Italy, 1964


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Back in 1964, we were looking for a sofaand couldnt find what we had in mind.We wanted to have a thick, hard-edgedlacquered box with soft pillows inside; a sofato stand in the space, not against a wall.

Luckily, at that same time we were asked by Poltronova to design a line of lounge seating, so the Saratoga line came to life (previous spread). We designed it with modularelements to allow different kinds of seatingarrangements, adding a coffee table andcabinets with drawers or doors and a backlittop. The whole line was finished with blackor white high gloss lacquer. Using the same

forms for the head and footboards, bedswere also added to the line. This Saratogaline became an icon of the times and it is

still in production after 50 years! Eventually a dining table was added to theline, also finished in white or black lacquer.The four chairs roll under it to form a solidvolume when they are not in use.

Some years later, Lella designed this bedwith a brass cylinder on each corner,a detail that would become a recurrentmotif in her designs. The glass side tablecomplements the setting. This set was also

for Poltronova.


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The Saratoga line was later extended with furniture for the executive office by addinga desk, side cabinets, and a credenza, all

finished in high gloss lacquer. The Saratogatable to the left is similar in design to thelacquered one, but it has a galvanized steelcentral column and a frosted glass top.


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Casigliani marble tables, Italy, 1979

The owner of this company near Carrara, Italy, had access to chunks of marble leftover from the famous quarries. He askedif we could design something with themand the first piece was born: the four basic

geometric shapes topped with glass. As simple as this seems, there was nothing likeit in the market at that time. The designbecame very successful, putting the companyin business. Many other designs were donein the following years. It took a long time tocome out with a variation on the theme, as

shown in the second image. Lella designed the cube below. It is eighteeninches tall with different openings on each

side. We playfully called it Mouse Palace.Over the years we designed an extensive lineof furniture, graphics, and trade shows forCasigliani.


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From left to right:Ambiguit table . The top swivels changing therelationship among the parts.Pisa table . The user can position the twoelements the way he likes better...Kono, coffee table . The gold leaf conecounteracts the severity of the marble slab.Mesa table : A stone base and a granite top,

with a cortene steel collar. A play on contrasts. Power table . Designed by Lella to use just flatcut granite, joined to make stronger legs.


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Sunar chairs, 1979

This easy chair and sofa, designed by Lella,are a response to the hard-edged Saratoga

sofa designed many years before. Here, soft edges offer some of the visual comfortmissing on the previous design.The form of the Rotonda chair is generatedby fabric stretched around a steel tube.

Blown foam is used for the upholstery.This chair was made in two sizes: a low oneas a lounge chair and the other at normal

seating height.The Acorn chair was made by the mastercraftsman Pierluigi Ghianda in Italy, whodevised a strong structural joint to make this

simple design possible in wood. The seat waseither canvas, leather, or upholstered.


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Knoll, Handkerchief Chair, 1982

We first designed the handkerchief chair for the Hille Company in London, arepresentative of Knoll in UK. The originalwas meant to be stamped out of metal likea car fender. It turned out to be impossible

since all presses available for that sizewere busy making cars. Then themanufacturing was shifted to Knoll USAwho decided to make the shell in fiberglass.

Finally, after a very long gestation, the chairwas produced by Knoll USA and Knoll Italyin white, red, gray and black with thewire base either gray, black or chrome.The basic concept was to make a stackingchair with generous seat and a timeless style.

Its still around. Some years later a tablewas added to the line.


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Acerbis International, Italy, 1985

We designed several tables and other products for this contemporary furniturecompany, working in close collaborationwith Lodovico Acerbis, the owner (and anarchitect himself). Our first line of tables,the Serenissimo, had a glass top restingon massive cylindrical legs and finished indifferent colors of encausto, a traditionalVenetian technique from the eighteenthcentury. Twenty years later, a stainless

steel version was made, giving the productsa completely fresh look. The mirror has alarge disc frame finished with gold leaf.


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Hickory Business Furniture chairs, 1987

HBF line of furniture is both contemporaryand conservative. We were asked to designchairs that could be used for lounge or

hospitality seating, so we designed twodifferent four-legged chairs, simultaneouslytraditional and timeless. The backs wereeither upholstered or with wood slats.

Lella and our partner David Lawcollaborated on these designs, including the

wood finishes and upholstery. Both chairs are still in production.


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Rosenthal tables, 1988

Lella was asked by Rosenthal to design adining table in two versions: one simple andone as an art piece. She chose her favoritemotif of engaging the table top to a quarterof a cylindrical leg as a basic structure.The top and the cylinders are made ofdifferent materials: sometimes wood andleather, sometimes bronze and marble,as in the art version with the four bronzecylinders created by Italian sculptor

Arnaldo Pomodoro. Philip Rosenthalliked the idea of furniture created withcollaboration with artists and producedas a limited edition. We have respected

Pomodoros work for decades, so it wasa perfect match.


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The coffee table above is a lacquered version following the same structural system as thetables on the previous page.The wood dining table, on the right page,can be extended to double its size byrotating and opening the top. Again massivecylindrical legs are attached to the frame ofthis table.

Lellas approach to table design favors powerful supports from the ground to the top.


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Poltrona Frau, Intervista chair, 1988

When we designed the whole image for the Italian television channel TG2, including graphics and stage design, we were alsoasked to designate a chair for use ininterview segments. Since we could not findwhat we were looking for that purpose, wedesigned a special one and asked Poltrona

Frau to manufacture it. By virtue of beingexposed every day on TV, the chair became

extremely popular. Typical of Frau, thequality details, including leather upholsteryand an optional hidden swivel base, gave alevel of refinement that made this chair aninstant classic.


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Poltrona Frau furniture for executiveoffices, 1988

Throughout her career, Lella designed diversechairs and modular tables for executiveoffices and conference rooms.The CEO executive furniture line, shown onthe next spread, features a desk witha rotating cabinet beneath it, a credenza, acabinet with book shelves, and a cabinet unit.The intention of this line of furniture wasto be, as much as possible, free standing inthe space; the open window creates visibilitythrough the wall. The CEO line has been oneof the most successful ones in its category.


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Bernini furniture, Italy, 1990

We always liked the contrast betweenmassive volumes and thin cantilevered

surfaces.The Forte table has a base covered with goldleaf and a top of frosted glass with a clear

square at its center. The Forte credenza isthe matching companion for the table, with atop of raw steel. The choice of materials andthe proportions add gravitas to this design.

This plywood arm chair is upholstered and ismeant to be used around corporate tables

Following spread: A most interesting piece designed for Berniniis the Grand Piano executive desk.The piano-shaped glass top rests on the thinedge of a wooden slab and a steel column.The slab, stained gray, is perforated by abright red L-shaped cabinet with doors onboth the user and the guest sides. Lella and

I argued about this design. Lella considered

it to be too trendy (and perhaps she wasright), but eventually we went ahead withit. I was too much in love with it and she

generously gave up


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Fidi ffi N Y k 1991


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Fidia office, New York, 1991

This New York office is used by all companyrepresentatives when they are in the city.

It can be used as a conference room, boardroom, dining room, and working area,according to the needs of the day. A separateexecutive office is dedicated to more privatemeetings, but the main space is adaptable inassuming the most appropriate configuration

for the planned activities. Of particular

interest is the design of the work stations,open when needed and otherwise hiddenin the cabinet walls which are covered innatural linen.

All furniture is designed by us and currentlyin production.Office desk by Acerbis International.

Seatings by Poltrona Frau. Handkerchiefchairs, by Knoll International.

P lt F


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Poltrona FrauPitagora theater seating, 1997

Architect Frank Gehry choose the Poltrona Frau Pitagora leather seating, designedby Lella, for the Guggenheim Museumin Bilbao. The back of this chair forms aclean, continuous plane, avoiding the visual

scalloping of the usual theater seating.


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Poltrona FrauOnda airport seating system, 1998

Lella and David Law named this chair Onda(wave) for its sinuous contours.The modular seating line is intended forairports and waiting rooms. It can assume

several configurations depending on the floorplan and it includes optional side tablesin granite.

I i E hibi i d Sh D i


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Interior, Exhibition and Showroom Design

Rank Xerox showroom Milano Italy 1964


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Rank Xerox showroom, Milano, Italy, 1964

We designed two showrooms to be used asdemonstration and learning places for Rank

Xerox in Milano. It was the beginning of xerography and Xerox wanted to assurethat this new office equipment, and newinformation device, was here to stay.We designed the showrooms using stone andraw steel to convey strength and durability.

Didactic panels explained the concept of

xerography. It was one of our first examplesof collaboration where Lella showed hermanagement strengths, assuring that everydetail was done to our specifications.

She believed in the importance of showingthe highest level of professionalism to clientsand contractors; this has been her trademarkthroughout her professional life.

For the same client, we designed more showrooms and trade shows in Italy and inthe United States.

Knoll/Gavina showroom New York 1967


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Knoll/Gavina showroom, New York, 1967

When Knoll acquired the Gavina Collection,we designed a temporary showroom withinthe Knoll premises. We bisected the spacewith supergraphic neon signs showingthe designers names in different colors,

sandwiched between two walls of sheer fabric. We then hung the classic furniture onthe walls, therefore reversing the hierarchyof planes to provide a different perception of

the classic products, while the new Gavina furniture remained on the floor. The wallsand the floor were white, illuminated onlyby the color of the neon lights. This was oneof several installations we designed by usingneon as a source of color within a neutral

space. It is a simple, but dramatic, device.

Knoll au Louvre, Paris, 1972


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Knoll au Louvre, Paris, 1972

This large exhibition of Knoll Internationalat the Louvre Museum of Decorative Artsrequired a complete restructuring andrestoration of the exhibition space which hadbeen abused by previous installations.We divided the exhibition in two areas.The main hall was a large, tall space wherewe placed eight-foot cubes, open on two

sides, to display the pieces. Some of the

cubes were laminated in white formica or stainless steel while others were made ofclear plexiglass. The cubes focused attentionon the furniture by defining a scale thatrelated to the furniture size.

In the second area, we built a series of spaces of funnelled walls/ceiling andinclined floors that angled in to the largewindows facing the garden. This made a

forced perspective, again making spacesmore in tune with the furniture. In the large

hall, to mediate its enormous height, we sometimes placed a second cube displayingrear-projected images on top of other cubes.The bottom cubes had casters to facilitatethe positioning them in different places,

since this exhibition was designed to be atraveling exhibition as well. Visitors enteredthe exhibition through the arch of theoversized letter n in the word Knoll.

Driade, Italy, 1973


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Driade, Italy, 1973

For this young entrepreneurial furnituremanufacturer, we designed a collectionbased on panels of ramin wood slats. Therewas a dining table with high-back chairsinspired by Mackintosh, coffee tables, a

freestanding sofa with a roof and loose pillows as seating, and a bed. Our idea wasto create a wall around the table to defineits own space. This line had a short life, but it

has always been one of our favorites.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 1974


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p ,

Japanese architect Kenzo Tange renovatedthe old Minneapolis Museum of Arts andadded the Childrens Theatre Building andThe College of Art and Design. We wereasked to design the interiors for the threeorganizations. For the museum, our basicconcept was to use unobtrusive display

fixtures and mobile wall partitions toarticulate exhibitions in different ways.

The wall display cases shown in these pages demonstrate how we achieved ouraims throughout the building. Once again,

plexiglass display cases were designed tocall attention to the exhibited objects ratherthan the furniture housing them; always animportant notion for our display design.We also designed the entire graphic program

for the complex, including exterior andinterior signage.

Lellas involvement on this project was fundamental from concept through theimplementation phases.


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This page shows examples of signage


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p g p g gdesigned for the museum and the college.

In the museum lobby, donors names are printed directly on a glass partition. Floordirectories are printed on a glass panel.Gallery identification is printed on a frosted

plexiglass box that contains descriptioncards about the artworks. Signs forconference rooms were done on slate panels

so that events could be written with chalk.This offered flexibility and restraint.

Building signs were stainless steel lettersapplied directly over the brick surface. In the College of Art and Design, thedirectory was printed in colors overcanvas panels. Supergraphic signs becameidentifiers for particular areas. Casualbleachers were modular, to be used indifferent configurations according to events.

In an effort to achieve maximum stylisticconsistency throughout the entire complex,every detail for the interiors and signs wasdesigned by us and approved by the museumand Kenzo Tanges office.

Brueton showroom, New York, 1975


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At the time we were asked to design the Brueton showroom, the company specializedin the production of stainless steel furniture.

Due to the colorless nature of the materialand its high level of reflectivity, we designeda completely white environment bisectedby sliding panels of magenta, yellow, andblue plexiglassan idea inspired by the4-color printing process. The overlapping

combinations of panels provided all the colorwe needed in the showroom. We were askedto design some of the furniture as well, so

Lella and I did tables, coffee tables, desks,and a tent-bed. It was fun and appropriate

for the times

Saint Peters Church, New York, 1977


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At the base of Citigroup Center in Manhattan, architect Hugh Stubbinsdesigned the church: a granite cube splitin two halves to let light in. We designedthe interior and the furnishings: the organ,

pews, cushions, and all the silver items used for religious services. First, we orientedthe interior plan according to the light shaft.We created a series of steps that become

seating when opened, providing modesty panels for people seating in the next row.We positioned pews in the center of the

space; they are able to be arranged invarious configurations according tochanging needs. We also designed the Cross,

symbolizing the Church at the intersection,and the graphic program to cover all

printed matter, including a newsletter. Itwas the most comprehensive project wevedone. Lella spent considerable amount oftime working on every detail to assurelong-lasting life. One of the walls houses acolumbarium; there our ashes will find theirresting place.This Church has been extremely well-kept

since its opening day in 1977. Our initialconcept for this very flexible space was tobe a moral space rather than an exclusivelyreligious space, because it hosts a varietyof events ranging from weddings, funerals,and christenings, to jazz concerts andcommunity meetings. Quite dramatically,the space becomes a Church every timethe processional Cross is planted on the altar

platform at the beginning of a religious service.

In this spread:


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The pulpit for the sermon can be engagedwith the steps in multiple positions to beappropriate for any given plan.The lectern for lectures differs from the pulpit.

A holder for votive candles was shaped bycrossing crosses.The seating and kneeler for the clergy ismade with a tubular structure covered inlinen to form the seat and back.The opening at the back of the seat provides

a space for the pastors ceremonial vestmentswhen seated. Lellas design of the cushions for the pews.

In the following spread:The baptismal font, like the floor and stepsleading to it, is all in granite. It wasdesigned for christening by total or partialimmersion and it symbolizes the mountaindescending to the Jordan River.


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We designed this set of silver pieces as


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implements for the liturgical service at Saint Peters Church. Some of the silver pieces have stems engraved with groovesto trap the light, while the upper part is

polished to reflect the light. The pieceswere made by San Lorenzo, in Italy, and

have been used everyday since 1975.

Joseph Magnin Specialty Stores,l f


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California, 1978

Most stores install relatively permanent floorplans and if it doesnt work, it isexpensive to change. We followed a theoryof the guy with a hot dog cart: if goods donot sell on one corner, he will try anotherone. So, we designed a plan allowingextreme flexibility of configurations, easilychanged to suit the most effective selling

configuration. The stores had fins along the peripheral walls that could be combinedwith a series of mobile fixtures on casters todefine individual boutiques.

Lella and our partner David Law were fundamentally involved in the design andimplementation of several Magnin stores,

from the very inception of the idea to itsapplication at different sites. Every fixturewas custom designed within our generalmodular concept so that every piece couldbe combined with other components to

form cohesive entities. Working with a few fixtures: cabinets, cashier unit (red so youcould find it); dressing unit (all mirrors so

you could see yourself on all sides); and seating made it possible to arrange aninfinite variety of display areas for showingand selling merchandise. Furthermore, theconfiguration of a selling area could bechanged in a few minutes.

Lellas direction in the choice of colors,materials, and lighting gave smart identityto the stores and made Joseph Magnin aninstant success story. Extreme flexibility,designed to look permanent ; no more retailtemple concept, but others are still doing it.

Retail management is often conservative, so this advanced concept of retailing is notwidely applied.


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Barneys, New York. 1979/1986


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We designed all the interiors, one floor at thetime, for the Barneys Mens Store on Seventh

Avenue in New York. Lella was in chargeof this project from the beginning and asusual, her input was apparent in the choiceand finishes of materials. She specified a

great amount of Belgian linen on the wallsto let the merchandize emerge from theneutral background. Everything was custom

made for the store, with exception of the Sunar seating, which she also designed.On the more recently designed floors, the useof brushed stainless steel reflects a fresher,less traditional sensibility to materials,contrasting with the wood and linen of the

previous floors.


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The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum,Wasau Wisconsin 1980


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Wasau, Wisconsin, 1980

This little museum was designed to house a precious collection of porcelain birds. Thebasic concept was to create unobtrusive

plexiglass display cases, letting the birds bethe real protagonists of the exhibition. Lellacovered all the walls in linen. She used that

surface to print photographs and captions,where needed, next to vitrines recessed in

the walls. In another room, a backlight wallwith shelves in front of it silhouetted the shapes of the sculptures on display. It was adelicate installation for a delicate subject.

Kroin main office,Cambridge Massachusetts 1981


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Shearman Sterling LLP dining room,New York, 1987

For this prestigious legal office, Lelladesigned a large dining room with a seriesof alcoves, one for each window, for more

private meetings. The upper part of the roomis paneled in wood. The ceiling is acoustical

panels covered in steel mesh. Indirect lightis provided by high sconces extending fromthe walls.The intent was to create a grand but serene

dining room, using Mies van der Rohes Brnotubular dining chairs as a final touch.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1981

The Kroin company distributes architecturalimplements ranging from well-designed

faucets to outdoor seating. We designed theiridentification program using the color yellowas chromotype identifier. Everything was

yellow, from the price list to the advertising. Naturally the office had to be yellow too. All walls in the main corridor were yellow.

Offices had gray walls, gray furniture and yellow pencils according to the companycolor identifier.The entrance had a large tridimensionallogo, on a yellow background, naturally...

Xoil office, New York, 1981


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Lella designed a suite of rooms covered innatural linen, with wool carpets, lacquered

furniture, and upholstered seating to createa warm business environment for thecompanys executive offices. Occasionally,the conference room doubles as a businesslunch room, so she designed hiddencupboards in the wall.On the floor, antique rugs add to the richnessof the rooms. There was a mix of custom

furniture designed by Lella, pluslacquered desks, cabinets, and sofas by

Poltronova, and seating by Sunar. All of itwas Lellas design.

Italcenter showroom, Chicago, 1982


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Several Italian furniture manufacturers were showing their products at the NEOCON fair, so we divided the overall area in a sequenceof parallel spaces, bisected by a centralcorridor. In that corridor we positionedtwo very strong icons: a sphere and a

pyramid covered in gold leaf; these gavethe showroom an immediate memorableidentity. Each dividing wall was treated ina unique way to give a specific identity toeach individual exhibitor, but we maintaineda uniform eight-foot height for the walls to

give continuity to the space above them.We devised a special roller to paint theinterior walls, obtaining a particular patternthat was inspired by the texture of graphite

pencil. The ceiling, with all the mechanicalequipment, was painted black.

Hauserman showroom, Los Angeles, 1982


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The Hauserman company manufacturesoffice partitions and modular office

furniture. To display the different kinds of partitions, we made a series of corridorsand asked minimalist artist Dan Flavin tocreate a light installation on each one. That,by itself, was a masterpiece! The back wallwas mirrored, which extended the lightingeffects. Although furniture samples werealso displayed, we kept the floors as emptyas possible to dramatize the installation.Toward the back, a room was set aside for

presentations, furnished with chairs designedby us. It was unveiled during design weekand became the talk of town. It continues tobe one of our favorite projects because of thecollaboration with Dan Flavin.


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Puritan executive offices, New York, 1984


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Lellas interiors of the executive offices for Puritan follow her typical palette of warmcolored carpets, linen walls, and leatherlaminated cabinets. All furniture, except

seating, was designed by her to achieve great consistency of style. Rows of windowopenings were obliterated by a continuous

sheer curtain, eliminating fragmentationas much as possible to establish a sereneenvironment. All wood furniture was custommade with rich, deep-colored veneersand leather.

Poltrona Frau showroomsNew York, 1985/1987


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During our long collaboration with thiscompany we have designed a great numberof showrooms and trade shows, particularlyin Italy, but also in the USA. These threeinstallations were in New York.On this page, the first two images are fromthe Soho showroom; the third is from anexhibition at the IDCNY, where galvanized

steel panels, with photos of palatialinstallations, were suspended from tracks.The pictures on the facing page are froma small showroom in midtown Manhattan,where mobile columns were used to framethe space and display the products against abacklighted curtain.

Artemide showroom, Dallas, 1984


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The space for the Dallas showroom waslong and narrow so the basic concept wasto funnel visitors through a series of spaces,each one dedicated to a family of lighting

fixtures displayed on steps or varied display fixtures. At the end of this sequence, wedesigned a semicircular room that wasreflected by a mirror wall to create theillusion of a circular space. This showroom

plan provided an efficient way to display the products and focus the viewers attention onthem. We covered all walls and fixtures with

high-density particle board. It is a materialthat we like very much for its non-directionaltexture that resembles limestone.

Artemide showroom, Miami, 1985


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Following the Dallas showroom experience,we designed the Miami space with a similarconcept of funneling visitors through a

sequence of parallel spaces, each onededicated to a family of products. While the

Dallas showroom had a monochromatic planinspired by the colors of the great plains,the Miami showroom reflected its contextwith exuberant colors, as you can see on the

facing pictures. Once again, each space haddifferent display devices, designed to showa specific family of products.

Artemide showroom, IDCNY,New York, 1987


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Through the years we designed many showrooms for Artemide, a lighting company from Milano.This one, at the IDCNY in New York, was inan industrial space. The original structureand ceiling had to be preserved, therefore,all walls were designed as freestanding

partitions with a square doorway opening inthe center. All furniture and display fixtureswere designed by us. Again, the basic notionwas to present every line of light fixtures ina dedicated space to avoid the typical clutterof lighting showrooms. This made it possibleto appreciate see and appreciate the detailsof each design line.We valued the experience of this particular

showroom and extended this conceptofkeeping the existing structure and insettingour display environmentto all Artemide

showrooms that we designed thereafter. Our focus on classical structure with minimalmaterials remained constant.

Artemide showroom, Milan, Italy, 1987

O i th i h i Mil


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Once again, the main showroom in Milanoreiterates the basic display concept of

pedestals at the entrance, presenting products as art pieces. Then a sequenceof fins laminated in subtle colors, along acentral axis, created spaces for the displayof product families. At the end of this

procession, a space of red undulating walls housed meeting rooms and a small office. A black square honeycomb ceiling concealedall mechanical equipment, visuallyobliterating the ceiling from the inset walls.

Poltronova showroom, New York, 1987

Again pla ing ith light e designed a


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Again playing with light, we designed a sequence of three rooms: the first black, the second blue, and the third yellow; with lightrising from the floor and shining down from

spots above to highlight the furniture.The Poltronova office line designed by

Lella, consisting of desk, cabinets, and seating, was displayed in the first space ofthis showroom.

United States Post Offices, 1987

USA post offices usually have two distinct


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USA post offices usually have two distinctareas: the factory in back where mail is

sorted, and the front part for the interfacewith the public. We were asked to designthe architectural frontthe public areaof the post office. We designed a flexible

system for different sizes of post offices and for different regional areas of the country.Our design consisted of a skylighted galleryconnecting the areas for public contact: mailboxes, vending machines, and transactionscounters. The outside facade was punctuatedby a variable series of openings, accordingto the front length. In the center front, a

self-standing portal signified the entrance.The surface material changed accordingto context: bricks for the eastern region,limestone for the central regions, and stucco

for the southern regions. The aim was toachieve identity and diversity through anappropriate use of form and materials.

In the photos: a post office built in Maryland.

Artemide showroom, Chicago, 1988

We decided to emphasize the industrial


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We decided to emphasize the industriallook of this space by leaving it quite bare,

simply adding common industrial materialslike galvanized steel for the outside wall orwhite corrugated steel for an undulatinginterior wall. Inside, a series of fins separate

families of products. At the entrance, thenew products are featured on pedestals, likeart objects.The entire space was painted dark gray,while all furniture and displays were incontrasting white.

Poltrona Frau showroom, Tolentino,Italy, 1988


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Instead of the usual roadside showroom, weasked Poltrona Frau to allow us to transforma section of their factory into a hospitalitycenter. We included an auditorium, a foyer,a patio, and a showroom to displaytheir recent products and some of their

historic ones.The patio was a perfect cube open to the skyand the patterns of passing clouds. A squareopening on each side was matched by areflecting pool in the center of the space. Oneopening led to the large showroom spacewhere we began with old original Poltrona

Frau chairs as an historical reference. Further on were displays of new products for home, office, and transportation uses.On the left side of the patio, the other squareopening led to the foyer of the auditoriumwhich had walls and ceiling covered withacoustical perforated sheet. Theater seatingwas by Poltrona Frau, naturally

Poltrona Frau showrooms,Rome, Perugia, Modena, 1988, 1989


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These showrooms were part of the initial program of showroom identity, designedby Lella, where a consistent use of accent

steel walls, stone floors, white walls, and stretched white veils established a level ofvisual continuity from store to store.

Artemide showroom, Los Angeles, 1989

The device of fins to separate product lines


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The device of fins to separate product linesbecame the main visual element of this

showroom, along with the undulating andcolorful counter.

Cecilia Metheny atelier, New York, 1989

In the mid-eighties, we designed the office-


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In the mid eighties, we designed the officeatelier for the fashion house of Cecilia

Metheny in New York.The entrance door was covered with lead

sheets, with the upper part displaying thelogo in three-dimensional aluminum letters.The lacquered furniture in the executiveoffice is part of the Saratoga office linedesigned by Lella for Poltronova; and the

seating, also by Lella, is by Sunar. In theconference room is Lellas table by Rosenthaland in the atelier, cabinets and furniturewere also designed by Lella.

As happens most of the time in our interiordesigns, we select and place the furniture.Often it is designed by us, sometimes it is

site specific.

Steelcase showroom, Grand Rapids, 1993

This large showroom was designed for the


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g g furniture brands of the Steelcase Design Partnership. Spaces were allocated to each brand,avoiding fragmentation and creatinga choral voice for the divisions. At theentrance, a series of sanded glass panels

presented each brand and a long blackbacklit wall presented all categories of

products. Thereafter, a series of spaces werededicated to brands or products through avariety of display designs using perforatedmetal, black steel panels, and linen walls.

The World Trade Center atSchiphol Airport, Amsterdam,Netherlands, 1996


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,

We were asked to design all the Centers public space interiors including retail, public, and restaurant areas. Unfortunately,we have very few images to document thewhole project. We asked glass artist DaleChihuly to do a series of large glass balls to

float on a reflecting pool separating parts ofthe building. It was a beautiful installation.We also designed the signage program andlogo for the complex. This was a projectcompletely designed and controlled by Lellaand her staff.

GNER, corporate identity and interiors,London, 1997


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This total identity for a British Railwayengaged every department of our officeas we designed everything from logoto stationery; from train livery to traininteriors; from timetables to posters. Lellawas in charge of all three-dimensionaldesign, including interiors for the first andtourist classes, and I was in charge of allthe graphics. It was an extensive, interesting

project which required a lot of Lellas timeand supervision at the railways yards in

England. Riding a train with our livery,our interiors, and our graphics was anexhilarating experience rarely matched byother projects.

In this page: the logo, with particularemphasis on the letters NE (North Eastern).The same logo in gold letters against thedark blue of the train locomotive.The train livery, a very dark blue with a red

stripe; all information related to the car iscontained in the red stripe. At the center ofthe car is an interpretation of the traditional

Railway seal, also redesigned by us.

On the following spread:On the left: interior design of the First Classcompartment.On the right: interior design of the TouristClass. In both classes every detail fromupholstery material and pattern, to carpet

pattern, to wall surfaces was designed by

Lella and her team.We designed uniforms for all GNER personnel in different capacities; these weremanufactured in Ireland.

In the background is the locomotive of thetrain in the York Station.When she finished this project, Lella wasasked to design livery and interiors forthe Peruvian Railway that goes to Machu

Picchu. Unfortunately we do not have anydocumentation available for that project.


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Poltrona Frau showroom,Milano, Italy, 2000


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Beginning in the year 2000, Poltrona Frau started a new series of showrooms, in Italyand the USA, entirely designed by Lella. Inthis Milano showroom, Lella articulated alanguage of materials to provide a neutralbut interesting background to the furniture.The use of white walls interacting with

surfaces of sand blasted mirrors provided aluminescent environment complementing the

sense of quality of the exhibited furniture.On the ground floor, lighting is recessed onceiling coves while (on the following spread)

for the basement level, a luminescent ceiling provides light and a sense of infinite space.


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Poltrona Frau showrooms,Verona and Andria, 2002

In these showrooms, Lella used panels of sandblasted mirror glass on large surfaces, giving great elegance and a strong visualaccent to the space.

Poltrona Frau, Salone del Mobile,Milano, 2002


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For several years, we designed the stands for Poltrona Frau at the Salone del Mobilein Milano.

Every year we developed a distinct planby hanging curtains from a structure onthe ceiling and projecting colored lights orimages onto them. Sometimes the imagesrelated to the products, other times theywere related to a promotional theme, and

some years we stressed technology. One year we used large details from Piero della Francesca frescoes to convey the timelessvalues of Italian Art. Lellas involvementwith Poltrona Frau covered almost everyaspect of the companys public presence,

from product design to showrooms, fromcommunications to trade shows. Though

sometimes we designed together, more oftenthese were distinctly her projects.

Poltrona Frau showroom, Miami, 2003

By keeping most of the existing structure ofi d b i t d i f


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a previous garage, and by introducing fewnew elements for lighting and display, Lellatransformed this low budget constructioninto a showroom for Poltrona Frau in Miamiusing polished cement floors, sleek bandsof ceiling lights, and careful attention to

structural forms. A series of virtual niches highlights new models and a griddedwall of glass separates the office from thedisplay area.

Marenn restaurant at theFeudi di San Gregorio winery,Sorbo Serpico, Italy, 2004


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The restaurant and bar facilities at thiswinery in Italys Campania region mustaccommodate a variety of guests and

groups of varying sizes. We designed anopen flexible plan where distinct areas caneasily be devised by moving service stationsto separate one area from the other. The

service stations have drawers for cutleryand linen, plus cabinets for china. They areon casters so that each can be arrangedaccording to need. The bar counter is madeof backlighted frosted glass to become aluminous slab, silhouetting the people in

front of it.Once again Lellas involvement withmaterials, planning, and implementationwas essential on this project.

Poltrona Frau showroom, Bologna, 2004

The Bologna showroom for Poltrona Frauis located on a centuries old palace with


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is located on a centuries-old palace, withoriginal frescoes on the walls, vaultedceilings, and period details throughoutthe space. Lellas plan acknowledges the

historical constrictions imposed by thelocation with dramatic results, highlighting

some of the features and using others fordual purposes to frame furniture displaysor support lighting fixtures.

Poltrona Frau showrooms,Salerno, Lecce, 2005

The Salerno showroom is articulated on


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The Salerno showroom is articulated onthree levels, all visible from the street,

providing great exposure to the furniture.The space has a very luminous andairy atmosphere.The Lecce showroom is located in an ancientbuilding, at street and basement level. Thebasement level original structure, made oflocal stone, has been restored to preserve itsdignity. Special stone sconces were designed

for the lighting to preserve the integrity ofthe space.

Product Design: Glass, China, Silver


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Heller glass bakeware, 1970

Following the success of the plasticware,Heller decided to expand its offerings to the


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Heller decided to expand its offerings to themarketplace with a line of glass bakeware.

Lellas knowledge of cooking was criticalin deciding which products to be designedand how they should develop. Lella notedthat food is usually more beautiful from atop view and less in section, therefore, shedecided to have the sides of the casserolesand pans incised with a groove pattern that

hides the food and enhances the container. Instead of the usual handles on the ends,which are often too small to grab, shedesigned a flat ring that wraps all aroundthe container so that it can be easily and

securely removed from a hot oven. Thecasseroles lid doubles as a pan, so buyers

get two pieces in one! This line of productsis another example of Lellas pragmatismapplied to design.These pieces, considered a classic of design,are no longer in production, but they are

often available as collectors items on eBay.

Sasaki tableware, Japan, 1985/86/87

Once again, we were playing with the natureof light. The basic concept of the Anello


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of light. The basic concept of the Anellochina set was the play between matte and

glossy surfaces on the same piece. While thecenter food area is glossy, the border is acontrasting ring of a matte texture.

In the Classico line of glassware, contraryto the norm, all the goblets have the same

height. Each distinction of use: red orwhite wine, or water, is defined only by thediameter of the goblet. This approach givesa more orderly presence to the table setting.

For the Colorstone line of tableware, thevessels are dipped in a color glaze, then onlythe beveled edges are wiped to reveal theunderlying material. Therefore, decorationis achieved by subtraction rather thanaddition, as tableware is typically made.

Subtraction is an essential part of ourdesign, and here we have one moredemonstration of how to achieve it.

Silver objects, 1975

Silver is a marvelous material to work with.Its surface, if polished, reflects the light; if


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Its surface, if polished, reflects the light; ifengraved, it traps the light inside.

If hammered, it portrays the human touch,revealing its malleability at any bend. Deepincisions trap dirt and darken, transformingthem into lines or patterns. The whole

flair of playing with silver evolves from theway one articulates those finishes.

A noble material, silver shines in the light

and becomes dark and sinister whenit oxidizes. Silver is a material of deepemotions, trapping history on its surface.Throughout our career, we enjoyed manyopportunities to work with silver forcompanies dedicated to functional andbeautiful objects using this metal.

Lella has designed flatware, hollowware,and silver jewelry, which she has beenwearing for most of her life. This spread

shows a set of barware tools and several hollowware, including an ice bucket, a

shaker, and a pitcher. All of the vertical surfaces are engraved with irregular lines totrap the light and the horizontal surfaces are

polished to reflect the light.

CIGA Hotels silverware, 1979

When we designed the identity program forthe CIGA Hotels, the most luxurious chain


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,of hotels in Italy, we also designed all thetableware, from silver, to china, to glass.

Some of the items are shown on this page, from top to bottom: Parmesan cheese grater and cheesecontainer. Grape scissors and a nutcracker.On the right page at the top: the basic table

flatware silver. Below left, finger bowl, egg

holder, and ice-cream cup. To the right: atray for oil and vinegar, and salt and

pepper shakers.To the bottom left: a napkin holder and tothe right: a tea strainer.

Numerous other pieces of hollowware weredesigned to cover every need, from serving

pieces to trays. It was a most comprehensive program of its kind.

Silver tea set for Cleto Munari, Italy, 1984

Lellas role for this project was more atthe critical level than the design level, but


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g ,the project story is quite intriguing.We were asked by Cleto Munari, an Italianmanufacturer of silver design objects, todesign a tea set in a post-modern way. Sincewe never liked post-modern design, we tookthis opportunity for expressing our point ofview on the subject by using a metaphor.Our solution showed the purity of the basic

Euclidian shapes: the cube, pyramid, and sphere; each crashed or perforated by the snake of postmodernism. Metaphors werequite common devices during the post-modern period so we succeeded on twolevels: making these perfect post-modernobjects, and making our point clear...


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Tisanire for Faraone Silver,Italy, 1996

This tisanire was designed to keep the


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g ptisane, (a special herbal tea) warm fora longer time. The silver spherical pot hasa bottom indentation so it rests upon thecast aluminum hemisphere to complete a

seamless sphere. The cast aluminum baseretains heat, keeping the pot warm for alonger time. The ebony handle is split in two

parts: the top is attached to the silver potand the bottom to the cast aluminum base.

Inside, a perforated removable cylindricalcontainer holds the tisane. This object,completely designed by Lella, reflects her

particular approach to design: pragmaticattention to function, sensibility to materials,and rejection of trends; all qualities which

give a sense of timelessness to her work.

Silverware items, 1985/2005

Over the years, we designed several objectsin silver. Most of these were designed by


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Lella. On this spread, from left to right we see a piggy bank in the shape of a house,designed to commemorate the new Euros,a goblet, a martini glass, a jewelry box, adrinking tumbler, a pitcher, and a carafe.These are all in silver and mostly producedin Italy by San Lorenzo.

Silver for the Jewish Museum,New York, 2006

Lella designed a series of objects linked to


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Jewish religious ceremonies for the Jewish Museum in New York.

The candleholder on the far right was designed for San Lorenzo silversmiths in Milan, Italy.The branches rotate around the central axis,allowing it be used for different occasions.

Silver jewelry for San Lorenzo, 1972/75

Lella loves to design silver jewelry.The numbers on this page are for


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commemorative years. On the right, the silver rings are in the shapes of numbers.The necklace below them is made from

sections of square tubing. The polished faces of the resulting cubes create intriguingreflections, making the necklace quite lively.

The intriguing feature of this necklace,designed by Lella and made by San Lorenzo,is the possibility of creating many differentconfigurations. There are several moreb d h h h h i i


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beyond those shown here, each suitinga different occasion and varying dressrequirements. It is a fluid and charming

piece, now included in several Museumcollections.

Clothing Design


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Design Vignelli, clothing line for men andwomen, 1992

Tired of being a fashion victim penalizedb h i l l h ld d i t


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by having lapels, shoulders, and waistcontinuously changing in their proportionsand lengths, I began to look for alternatives,but I could not find anything in themarketplace. Therefore, according to ourmotto, if you cannot find it, design it,

I started to design a line of clothing thatwould follow the body rather than focusing

on fashion trends. A normal mens jacket is full of details thatmake no sense at all. The lapels original

function has been erased; pockets have alittle roof (to prevent water from rainingin?) The breast pocket has no real functioneither, and buttons on the sleeves haveoutlived their original purpose. Shouldersexpand or contract according to the whimsof fashion designers. Pants have pleats,which are difficult to iron; a crease in thecenter, continuously pushed out by the knee;

and often a cuff at the bottom as a perfectreceptacle for dust and other trash. They have a front fly and therefore require a beltto adjust sizes.

I eliminated all this nonsense by takinga more rational approach, reducing theconstruction of the jacket from 54 pieces to10. Placing the pockets on front and back

seams, eliminating lapels and all visiblebuttons, eliminating the fly and the crease inthe pants and replacing a belt with an elasticwaist; this clothing responds to body needsrather then constricting them. I designeda sweater, made with same fabric of the

suit rather than knitted wool so that whenworn with the pants it becomes an informal

suit. Varying the jacket and the fabric provided alternatives for different functions from business attire to formal attire. Theblack tie version is in black velvet with acummerbund and a regular black tie.

Lellas role at first was in the selection of fabrics and in design criticism.

Eventually Lella got more involved and shedesigned the womens side of the collectionin linen, silk, and wool crepe.We were lucky to have a couple of designersin the office who had experience in


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in the office who had experience incutting dresses, so the first prototypes weremade by them until a professional cutterand seamstresses were hired toimplement the line.

Because of her management skills, Lellaeventually took over the direction of theoperation and her involvement grew along

with the collection.On the following pages are some of themodels for men and women. We had a fewrunway shows in our office and a terrificresponse on the press. However, this wasnot our main line of work and thereforewe did not apply 100% of our time to it; a

fundamental condition for the success of acommercial operation.

Both of us, after so many years, still wearthe same clothinga living demonstrationof its timelessness. However, a lack of

entrepreneurial know-how unfortunatelylimited our benefit from the designs of thiscollection. A good lesson for everyone


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designed by lella

Documents