Enzo Mari was an influential industrial designer and a beloved curmudgeon who revered Marxism. His vintage mid-century modern designs are simple, functional and poetic. Widely known Mari-designed objects include desk accessories, such as the Formosa perpetual wall calendar, vases, cocktail tables and chandeliers.
Enzo Mari's work is embedded within the city of Milan, the Italian capital of all things design. In fact, the traffic bollards he devised are part of the city itself: Shaped like "panettone" cakes, they simultaneously direct traffic and provide seating for pedestrians.
In 1974, Mari published Autoprogettazione? (roughly translated as self-design), a Marx-inspired, anti-industrial, do-it-yourself handbook for the everyday person to use to build furniture without the assistance of a glitzy designer or knowledge of complex joinery. Mari’s intent with the publication was to remove the alienation of the creator and manufacturer from the end product by teaching anyone to develop a critical eye for production.
Artek relaunched kits based on the blueprints in the manual in an exhibition at Spazio Rossana Orlandi in 2010. The subsequent collectability of his work was reportedly irksome for Mari because he abhorred the industrial production for which he was becoming known.
Mari’s meager upbringing heavily influenced his politics, and even in childhood, he would come up with ingenious ways to support the family financially. As a designer, the desire to envision and build significant pieces was more important to Mari than devising new marketing and retail sales tactics. He optimistically believed objects could change the world. This view went against the rising consumer mania for every next trend that surfaced in the late 20th century. Not surprisingly, his ecological and economical stance led him to produce fewer objects.
Mari's philosophy did not stop people from desiring his creations, nor prevent other designers from wanting to collaborate with him. Following World War II, he worked for companies like Danese, Olivetti, Artemide, Driade and Alessi, who brought his prodigious designs to the public, and Mari’s work was widely celebrated.
The Golden Compass, Italy's highest honor for industrial design, was awarded to Mari four times before he died from COVID in 2020, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art has a permanent collection of his objects on display.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Enzo Mari decorative objects, folk art and serveware.
$4,226Sale Price / item|20% Off
"Elisa" Outdoor Armchair Designed by Enzo Mari for Driade
By Enzo Mari, Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Elisa" is an outdoor armchair, designed by Enzo Mari and manufactured by Driade, featuring a structure made of steel with protective cataphoresis treatment, finished in black-brown ...
Steel
$4,464Sale Price / item|20% Off
"Elisa" Indoor Armchair Designed by Enzo Mari for Driade
By Driade, Enzo Mari
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Elisa" is an armchair, designed by Enzo Mari and manufactured by Driade, featuring a structure made of steel finished in black-brown epoxy paint, cushions in polyurethane foam of va...
Steel
$867Sale Price / item|20% Off
Set of 4 Mariolina Chair by Enzo Mari for MAGIS
By Magis, Enzo Mari
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mariolina recalls the fifties-style, but features a series of extra details. The legs in powder coated or chromed steel tube are in fact slimmer and more precise in section. The poly...
Steel
On Hold|$4,380 / set
H 24.02 in W 22.05 in D 17.33 in
Set of 4 Pigreco Chairs by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Gavina, Italy 1960s
By Gavina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Roma, IT
Fabulous set of four "Pigreco" chairs. These iconic chairs were designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and produced by Gavina in Italy in the 1960s. This stylish chairs feature a stunnin...
Faux Leather, Wood
Set of Chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Čelinac, BA
Set of four chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet.
Metal
$573Sale Price / item|40% Off
H 24.81 in W 22.45 in D 33.08 in
Roly Poly Armchair Concrete By Driade, Faye Toogood
By Driade
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Shapely and utterly comfortable, the distinctive Roly Poly Armchair by Driade is a well rounded lounge chair with a graceful, bowl-like seat up top and four solid legs beneath. It's a statement chair that's considered a classic of contemporary design, and can be found displayed in the permanent collections of many museums worldwide. Designed by Faye Toogood, the Roly Poly collection is the latest line for the Italian design house that's become an instant hit, coveted by both residential and commercial clients alike. The armchair can be augmented with upholstered cushions to create a cozy, scoop-like seat. The collection also features the Roly Poly Sofa...
Plastic
Roly Poly Armchair Flesh By Driade, Faye Toogood
By Driade
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Shapely and utterly comfortable, the distinctive Roly Poly Armchair by Driade is a well rounded lounge chair with a graceful, bowl-like seat up top and four solid legs beneath. It's a statement chair that's considered a classic of contemporary design, and can be found displayed in the permanent collections of many museums worldwide. Designed by Faye Toogood, the Roly Poly collection is the latest line for the Italian design house that's become an instant hit, coveted by both residential and commercial clients alike. The armchair can be augmented with upholstered cushions to create a cozy, scoop-like seat. The collection also features the Roly Poly Sofa...
Plastic
Set of 8 Round Chairs by Hans Wegner for PP Mobler
By PP Møbler, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Kensington, MD
Set of 8 Round Chairs by Hans Wegner for PP Mobler. The chairs marked and dated to underside. Additional information: The PP503 Chair, designed by Hans Wegner, is identified as one ...
Wood
Costes Armchair Grey Oak by Driade
By Driade
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
There are objects universally recognized as icons. Costes easy chair that, in 1984, marked the beginning of the partnership between Philippe Starck and Driade such as the consecration of the designer, formerly unknown in Italy, is one of these objects. Designed for the homonymous, now disappeared, Parisian café, owes its timeless success to the absoluteness of forms: a dark wooden embracing structure with three highly tilted legs. The Costes armchair...
Leather, Wood
“Carmen” dining chair, Enzo Mari for Zanotta. Italy 1980s.
By Zanotta, Enzo Mari
Located in Barcelona, ES
“Carmen” dining chair, designed by Enzo Mari and manufactured by Zanotta. Crafted with a robust black lacquered frame, providing durability and style. The ergonomically designed seat...
Metal
$625 / item
H 32 in W 17 in D 17.25 in
Enzo Mari NOS The Box chair in orange for Aleph Atlantide Driade 1995
By Enzo Mari, Driade
Located in Skokie, IL
Enzo Mari NOS model "Box chair" in orange manufactured by Aleph Atlantide (Driade), Italy, 1995 The Enzo Mari NOS model "The Box" chair, manufactured by Aleph Atlantide (Driade) in ...
Steel
$625 / item
H 32 in W 17 in D 17.25 in
Enzo Mari NOS The Box chair in blue for Aleph Atlantide Driade 1995
By Enzo Mari, Driade
Located in Skokie, IL
Enzo Mari NOS model "Box chair" in blue manufactured by Aleph Atlantide (Driade), Italy, 1995 The Enzo Mari NOS model "The Box" chair, manufactured by Aleph Atlantide (Driade) in It...
Steel
$4,027Sale Price|20% Off
H 34.3 in W 31.5 in D 32.3 in
Pratfall Armchairs by Philippe Starck for Driade, 1980s, Set of 2
By Driade, Philippe Starck
Located in Kelkheim (Taunus), HE
Postmodern design classic "Pratfall" arm chair designed by Philippe Starck for Driade. 1st Edition made in the early 90s. Both arm chairs are in good condition with normal wear of ...
Steel
$2,724
H 33.08 in W 24.02 in D 27.56 in
Philippe Starck, armchair designed by J. Lang for Driade Aleph, 1987
By Driade, Philippe Starck
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
The armchair J. Lang, designed in 1987 by Philippe Starck for Driade Aleph, is a striking, sculptural piece of furniture with a strong iconic character. The generously dimensioned se...
Aluminum
$5,347 / set
H 34.5 in W 18 in D 21 in
Enzo Mari for Driade Mid Century Italian Steel Dining Chairs - Set of 6
By Driade, Enzo Mari
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Enzo Mari for Driade Mid Century Italian Steel Dining Chairs - Set of 6 Each chair measures: 18 wide x 21 deep x 34.5 inches high, with a s...
Steel