Bronze discs that open up like clamshells for storage and fold back in to become side tables. Sleek cubes barely suspended off the ground that transform into full-size dining tables. Clean-lined boxes that contain multilevel shelving. Looking at the work of Italian designer Gabriella Crespi, born in 1922 and who still produced furniture in her Milan studio until her death in 2017, it’s hard to believe that many of these highly functional pieces — modernist Rubik’s Cubes of materials, colors and ergonomics — were created decades ago.
Among her best-known creations, the bronze Ellisse table, 1976, and her bronze-and-lacquer Yang-Yin bar, 1979, encapsulate a designer who had a strong dualism in her vision, mixing humble and precious materials, for instance, or creating geometric shapes that were softened by sensual surfaces.
Crespi began studying architecture in 1944 at the Politecnico, in Milan, where she was among just a handful of women, and became profoundly influenced by the work of Charles-Édouard "Le Corbusier" Jeanneret and Frank Lloyd Wright. After getting married and having children, she launched her own collections, from jewelry to furniture, and soon gained a loyal following, with design houses such as Maison Dior snapping pieces up for their own lines.
She began work on her most iconic collection, Plurimi, in the late 1960s, and the series — including her Dama table, which plays on the themes of volume, light and adaptability that Crespi has explored throughout her career — flourished through the 1970s and early ’80s. Then there is her famed Z desk, from a mid-1970s series, which manages to be both stylish and humorous, looking like it’s ready to leap off the floor at any moment. Well-born and beautiful, Crespi garnered attention among the jet set. She was a muse to Valentino, and her pieces appeared in the homes of Princess Grace of Monaco, the Shah of Iran and Greek shipping magnate George Livanos.
In 1987, with her children now adults, the designer surprised everyone when she moved to the foot of the Indian Himalayas to study with the guru Sri Muniraj. This turned into a 20-year self-imposed exile that, if anything, made her pieces even more sought-after by collectors.
Find vintage Gabriella Crespi furniture on 1stDibs.
Gubi Bohemian 72 Outdoor Sofa in Rattan strips by Gabriella Crespi
By Gabriella Crespi, Gubi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bohemian '72 sofa designed by Gabriella Crespi and produced 50 years later by Gubi. Bohemian '72 sofa is part of a collection of furniture made of rattan that combines the designer's...
Fabric, Upholstery, Rattan, Foam
Gabriella Crespi Bohemian 72 Sofa Diagonal Bouclé Dedar 007 for GUBI
By Gabriella Crespi, Gubi
Located in New York, NY
The Bohemian ‘72 Collection brings together Gabriella Crespi’s interest in natural materials, her fascination with stacked sculptural forms, and her curiosity about Eastern cultures ...
Upholstery, Rattan
Gubi Bohemian 72 Sofa in Rattan strips by Gabriella Crespi
By Gabriella Crespi, Gubi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bohemian '72 sofa designed by Gabriella Crespi and produced 50 years later by Gubi. Bohemian '72 sofa is part of a collection of furniture made of rattan that combines the designer's...
Fabric, Upholstery, Rattan, Foam
Customizable Gubi Bohemian 72 Lounge Chair by Gabriella Crespi
By Gubi, Gabriella Crespi
Located in New York, NY
Comprising a lounge chair, three-seater sofa, ottoman and floor lamp – all crafted from rattan – the Bohemian 72 Collection embodies Crespi’s ca...
Fabric, Rattan
Gabriella Crespi Set of 8 Sedia 73 Gray Leather Chairs
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Miami, FL
A set of 8 chairs by Gabriella Crespi. The design is quite striking in its perfect simplicity, clean modern lines with the polished metal contrasting with the organic beauty of the leather. When folded we realize that we have been deceived by the apparent simplicity of the design as the unexpected way the leather seats are held in place is revealed. These chairs were designed by Gabriella Crespi in several versions. First introduced in 1973 with the Puzzle dining table...
Metal
McGuire Rattan Sofa
By McGuire
Located in Franklin Park, IL
McGuire Rattan Sofa This sofa measures: 66.5 wide x 33 deep x 33.25 inches high, with a seat height of 22 and arm height of 29 inches We take ou...
Upholstery, Rattan
$3,899 / item
H 35.44 in W 41.34 in D 27.56 in
Customizable Gubi Bohemian 72 Lounge Chair by Gabriella Crespi
By Gabriella Crespi, Gubi
Located in New York, NY
Comprising a lounge chair, three-seater sofa, ottoman and floor lamp – all crafted from rattan – the Bohemian 72 Collection embodies Crespi’s ca...
Fabric, Rattan
$5,600Sale Price|30% Off
H 33 in W 87 in D 39 in
2 Mid-Century Modern Bohemian Rattan & Split Reed Barrel Back Sofas Boho Chic
Located in Dayton, OH
An impressive vintage pair of Bohemian barrel back three seater sofas, circa 1970s. Made from a contoured split reed frame with woven rattan panels. Features a white upholstery with ...
Fabric, Rattan, Reed
$12,099 / item
H 25.6 in W 99.61 in D 33.47 in
New and Made to Order Gubi 3-Seater Pacha Sofa with Armrests by Pierre Paulin
By Gubi, Pierre Paulin
Located in New York, NY
Price listed for the starting fabric category A. Legendary French designer Pierre Paulin originally designed the Pacha Lounge Chair in 1975. Paulin designed the chair in harmony wit...
Textile
$17,903 / item
H 31.11 in W 83.86 in D 36.23 in
Mid-Century Modern French Style Sofa, Ivory Dedar Bouclé Fabric
By Lusitanus Home, Dedar
Located in Lisboa, PT
Mid-Century Modern French Style Sofa, handmade in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. With an elegant design inspired by the style of the great mid-century French designers this sofa e...
Leather, Fabric, Wool, Alpaca, Mohair, Bouclé, Linen, Velvet, Wood, Oak,...
Customizable Gubi Flaneur Sofa by Gamfratesi
By Gubi
Located in New York, NY
Product net weight Kg: 72 Gross Weight Kg: 77 Seating dimensions Dx Wx H: 100x180x75 Cm Seat height: 39 Cm Seat depth: 77 Cm Armrest height: 46 Cm Base leg thickness: Ø22 Cm F...
Textile
Bertu Outdoor Sofa, Outdoor Slatted Sofa, Large Sofa, Suelo
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu Outdoor Sofa, Outdoor Slatted Sofa, Large Sofa, Suelo® This Large Outdoor Slatted Suelo® Sofa is beautifully constructed from solid wood in Ohio, USA. The length is a full 10'...
Wood, Mahogany
$21,828 / item
H 28.75 in W 94.49 in D 37.41 in
Antonio Citterio Esosoft Outdoor Sofa, Rattan & Stainless Steel, Italy
By Antonio Citterio
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Antonio Citterio Esosoft Outdoor Sofa For Cassina A two- or three-seater sofa designed by Antonio Citterio and inspired by textural contrast. The exoskeleton of the base supports a...
Rattan
Leather 'Croissant' Lounge Chair by Illum Wikkelsø for Gubi
By Illum Wikkelsø, Gubi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Leather 'Croissant' lounge chair by Illum Wikkelsø for GUBI. Playful, voluptuous and expertly crafted, the newly reimagined Croissant Collection from GUBI makes a powerful statement...
Steel
Mid-Century 1972 Vintage Gabriella Crespi Sofa
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in London, GB
Gabriella Crespi (1922–2017) was an Italian designer, artist, and sculptor known for her luxurious and sculptural furniture, lighting, and decorative objects. She worked extensively ...
Aluminum
Rattan Sofa by Clark Casual
Located in Highland, IN
This lovely rattan sofa has a dynamic frame of curved and swooping lines which make it a delight from every angle. The basket-like form cradles the seat and back cushions and makes f...
Upholstery, Rattan