Alessandro Mendini was born in Milan in 1931. Through his work as an architect, designer, journalist, theorist and publisher, Mendini helped establish the Italian design sensibility on a global scale with a particular focus on neo-modern, avant-garde design as well as the crossover between art, design and architecture.
Mendini’s influential work spanned the arenas of graphics, furniture, interiors, architecture, stage design, writing and painting. He graduated from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1959, and he began his career at the studio of artist-designer Marcello Nizzoli. He went on to become the publisher of the popular magazines Casabella (1970–76), Modo and Domus (each 1979–85).
In 1979, Mendini joined Ettore Sottsass and Michele de Lucchi as a partner at Studio Alchimia, a harbinger of the Memphis Group before he cofounded Domus Academy in 1982. In 1989, he and his brother Francesco established their architectural practice, Atelier Mendini, in Milan, where he worked until his death in February 2019. In recognition of his outstanding body of work, Mendini was awarded the Compasso d’Oro twice, in 1979 and 1981. He was also honored by the Architectural League of New York, made Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in France, and, in 2014, he was awarded the European Prize for Architecture.
Mendini’s work is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, among others.
Find vintage Alessandro Mendini chairs, vases, table lamps and other furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by STUDIO CADMIUM)
Italian modern round metal floor coat rack Melpomene by BBPR for Artemide, 1970s
By Artemide, Studio BBPR
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern round metal floor coat rack Melpomene by BBPR for Artemide, 1970s Floor coat hanger mod. Melpomene with a round base. The structure is in metal with a dark silver fini...
Metal
Italian mid-century modern plastic and metal coat rack, 1960s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern plastic and metal coat rack, 1960s Metal coat rack. It has a chrome frame with four legs that widen at the base. At the center is a circular ring, designed...
Metal
Italian modern White metal valet stand coat hanger by Gieffe, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern White metal valet stand coat hanger by Gieffe, 1970s Vintage and fantastic floor valet stand composed of a single white painted metal tubular with black terminals. The...
Metal
Italian Modern Natural and Green Wood Coat Stand with Umbrella Container, 1980s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian post modern natural and green wood coat stand with umbrella container, 1980s. Coat stand with umbrella stand with self-supporting structure, with double umbrella container on both sides. Entirely in solid wood with a natural finish, equipped with three arms of different lengths, with containers in the lower part with aluminum trays inside...
Wood
Italian modern black and red coat stand Pagoda by De Pas D'Urbino Lomazzi, 1980s
By Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi, Elco
Located in MIlano, IT
Coat hanger mod. Pagoda with a round base. The structure is in red lacquered metal and the circular base in black lacquered metal. The upper part, in black plastic material, has six ...
Metal
Italian Modern Wooden Valet Clothes Stand with Glass Hooks by Fabiustita, 1990s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern wooden valet clothes stand with glass hooks by Fabiustita, 1990s Valet clothes stand, with wooden hat holder. The central structure is com...
Metal
Dress Boy F.lli Medini, 1982, Italy
By Alessandro Mendini
Located in Den Haag, NL
F.lli Medini. Italian clothing company. Found 1969 This is one off there accessorizes from 1982. Metal upright, plastic shoulder piece. Metal top. Plastic imitation marble feet. Signal red holder. Metal S shape, for your trousers, adjustable in height. Very good looking dress boy...
Metal
Coat Rack with Umbrella Stand by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, 1970s, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Roma, IT
Coat rack / black umbrella stand designed by Ettore Sottsass Olivetti Synthesis 45 series, 1972.Coat rack / black umbrella stand des...
Aluminum, Steel
Postmodern coat stand 'Albero dei Cappelli' by Ugo Nespolo for Origlia, 1978
By Origlia Italy, Ugo Nespolo
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Postmodern coat stand 'Albero dei Cappelli' by Ugo Nespolo for Origlia, 1978 Italian Coat Stand Measures : Ø base 37cm - H: 186cm Materials : wood - metal - plastic Wear Consistent...
Iron
Coat Stand by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti Synthesis
By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Red Lion, PA
This coat rack with an integrated umbrella stand was created in 1973 by the Italian architect Ettore Sottsass as part of the Synthesis System 45 office furniture series for the Olive...
Plastic
Coat Stand and Umbrella Stand by E. Sottsass for Olivetti Synthesis, Italy 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Roma, IT
Coat stand and umbrella stand is an original design object realized by Ettore Sottsass in the 1970s. Bordeaux plastic coat stand and umbrella stand designed for Olivetti Synthesis...
Plastic
Postmodern Milo Floorlamp by Alessandro Mendini, Italy 1980s
By Alessandro Mendini, Segno
Located in Renens, CH
Postmodern floor lamp “Milo” by Alesssandro Mendini for Segno, designed and produced during the late 1980s. The lamp features a multi-coloured enamelled aluminium body with a frost...
Aluminum
Alessandro Mendini, Michael Graves, Ettore Sottsass and other design luminaries contributed to this unusual collection of porcelain wares representing a time capsule of late-20th-century decorative art.
Aided by photos taken of the maestro in his Milan studio, we honor the influential design talent who died last month at 87.
