Memphis was born from a cultural movement initiated by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 with the intention of giving life to products he designed and to products designed by a group of young architects and designers with whom he interacted, among which Aldo Cibic, Matteo Thun, Marco Zanini, Martine Bedin, Michele De Lucchi, Nathalie Du Pasquier and George Sowden.
Memphis was born as a lab for the development of new project ideas and soon became a cultural phenomenon. With Ettore Sottsass as the point of reference for the group, and with Barbara Radice as artistic director, the first collection was presented at Salone del Mobile in 1981. From the start, Memphis’ design has represented a new expressive concept that is tied to new shapes, new materials, new patterns, and that has redesigned living habits by revolutionizing their logic and conquering the design world.
Acquired by the Italian Radical Design group in 2022, Memphis continues to influence the imagination of the general public, from fashion to the film and television industry. The liberating spirit of Memphis is still a source of inspiration for many today.
