Memphis Milano room dividers

Memphis Milano, also known as Memphis Group, was an Italian design and architecture group founded by Ettore Sottsass. Ettore Sottsas was born in 1917 in Innsbruck, Austria. The architect and designer had a fondness for Italy and Italian design, which he would go on to live out. On the evening of 11 December 1980, a group of young designers and architects gather in Ettore Sottsass's living room in Italy and the album Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again by Bob Dylan is played over and over again. It was there and then that the Memphis Milano brand was born and the idea of creating postmodern designer furniture, lighting, fabrics, rugs, ceramics, glass and metal objects was born. The Memphis Milano design group was active from 1980 to 1987 and the first collection of 55 products, under the direction of Ettore Sottsass and the artistic direction of Barbara Radice was presented in Milan on 19 September 1981 in the Arc '74 showroom of Brunella and Mario Godani at number 2 Corso Europa.

Memphis Milano quickly attracted the attention of both the public and the press for its innovative and groundbreaking design language. The brand often uses absurd and irrational shapes combined with plastic laminates with unusual patterns, simulating precious materials. Today, the company is owned by Alberto Bianchi Albrici and the unique design objects designed by the Memphis group between 1981 and 1988 are still in production for the public to enjoy. As the cultural movement Mephis Milan was founded in, it continues to influence the general public with its unique products.