Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
In 1946, at the start of a postwar boom in Europe, Enrico Cappellini opened the doors to a small furniture studio in the Italian town of Carugo. But it wasn’t until his son joined the company nearly three decades later that Cappellini became a powerhouse fixture on the global design stage. Today Cappellini is one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of innovative chairs, tables and decorative objects.
Giulio Cappellini joined the family company in 1977 and, with his appointment, ushered in a stage of boundary-pushing modernism and prolific creativity at Cappellini. With a dual background in architecture and business management, Giulio was well equipped to steer the brand into both innovative design and economic growth in a rapidly globalizing economy.
The second-generation leader’s first major success came in 1981, with the launch of Sistemi, a modular, hyperfunctional storage system that would come to symbolize the chic functionality of Cappellini. That was quickly followed by a collaboration with renowned Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata for the Progetti Compiuti collection, a line that brought unexpected playfulness to the simple framework of a black-and-white cabinet and remains an iconic collectible today.
That first collaboration opened the doors to a prolific output of partnerships, with Cappellini tapping such star designers as Jasper Morrison, Marcel Wanders, Tom Dixon, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and Nendo for collections over the ensuing decades that spanned a range of materials and styles. Speaking to this range, Marc Newson’s plumply curvaceous 1988 Embryo chair, Jasper Morrison’s slightly arachnoid 1987 Thinking Man’s chair and Tom Dixon’s sculptural 1991 S-chair — each quite stylistically unique — remain some of the company’s most recognizable pieces, with the latter in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Cappellini, now headquartered in Milan, continues to partner with guest designers across furniture, storage and lighting solutions, though many of its 1970s and ’80s designs remain its most coveted today.
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Acrylic
1990s Italian Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rubber, Wood
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Aluminum, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ash
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Late 19th Century American Industrial Antique Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Glass
Late 19th Century Danish Louis Philippe Antique Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
2010s Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bamboo, Rattan
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Acrylic
2010s American Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lacquer, Oak
20th Century Art Deco Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Laminate, Wood
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Plastic
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Cappellini Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Plexiglass