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Memphis Milano Armchairs

Italian

To many people, postmodern design is synonymous with the Memphis Group. This Italian collaborative created the most radical and attention-getting designs of the period, upending most of the accepted standards of how furniture should look. Today, the Memphis Milano brand, which is managed by Alberto Bianchi Albrici, still produces designs created by the group between 1981 and 1988.

The Memphis story begins in 1980, when Ettore Sottsass, then a beacon of Italian postmodernism, tapped a coterie of younger designers to develop a collection for the Milan Furniture Fair the next year, determined that all the new furniture they were then seeing was boring. Their mission: Boldly reject the stark minimalism of the 1970s and shatter the rules of form and function. (Sottsass’s Ultrafragola mirror, designed in 1970, embodied many of what would become the collective’s postmodern ideals.)

The group decided to design, produce and market their own collection, one that wouldn’t be restricted by concerns like functionality and so-called good taste. Its debut, at Milan’s 1981 Salone del Mobile, drew thousands of viewers and caused a major stir in design circles.

So as a record of Bob Dylan’s “Stuck Inside of Mobile” played on repeat, they took their name from the song, devised their marketing strategy and plotted the postmodern look that would come to define the decade of excess — primary colors, blown-up proportions, playful nods to Art Deco and Pop art. A high-low mix of materials also helped define Memphis, as evidenced by Javier Mariscal’s pastel serving trays, which feature laminate veneer — a material previously used only in kitchens — as well as Shiro Kuramata’s Nara and Kyoto tables made from colored glass-infused terrazzo.

An image of Sottsass posing with his collaborators in a conversation pit shaped like a boxing ring appeared in magazines all over the world, and Karl Lagerfield furnished his Monte Carlo penthouse entirely in Memphis furniture. Meanwhile, members like Andrea Branzi, Aldo Cibic, Michele de Lucchi, Nathalie du Pasquier, Kuramata, Paola Navone, Peter Shire, George Sowden, Sottsass and his wife, journalist Barbara Radice, went on to enjoy fruitful careers.

Some people think of the Milan-based collective as the design equivalent to Patrick Nagel’s kitschy screenprints, but for others Memphis represents what made the early 1980s so great: freedom of expression, dizzying patterns and off-the-wall colors.

Eventually, the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990s minimalism, and Memphis fell out of fashion. Sottsass left the group in 1985, and by 1987, it had disbanded. Yet decades later, Memphis is back and can be traced to today’s most exciting designers.

“As someone who was born in the 1980s, Memphis at times feels like the grown-up, artsy version of the toys I used to play with,” says Shaun Kasperbauer, cofounder of the Brooklyn studio Souda. “It feels a little nostalgic, but at the same time it seems like an aesthetic that’s perfectly suited to an internet age — loud, colorful and utilizing forms that are graphic and often a little unexpected.”

Find a collection of Memphis Milano seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Memphis Milano
Peter Shire "Bel Air" Italian Armchair in wool and wood for Memphis Milano
Peter Shire "Bel Air" Italian Armchair in wool and wood for Memphis Milano

Peter Shire "Bel Air" Italian Armchair in wool and wood for Memphis Milano

By Memphis Milano, Peter Shire

Located in Varedo, Lombardia

The Concept & Inspiration Designed by Peter Shire in 1982, the "Bel Air" armchair is a flamboyant homage to the American West Coast and California surf culture. The chair's striking ...

Category

2010s Italian Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Wool, Wood

Bel Air Armchair by Peter Shire, Memphis Milano
Bel Air Armchair by Peter Shire, Memphis Milano

Bel Air Armchair by Peter Shire, Memphis Milano

By Memphis Milano, Peter Shire

Located in Milano, Lombardia

La poltrona Bel Air di Peter Shire, prodotta da Memphis Milano è un pezzo di design unico che rappresenta l'audacia e l'originalità del movimento Memphis. Questo esemplare è stato p...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Cotton, Wood

Palace Wood Chair, by George Sowden for Memphis Milano Collection
Palace Wood Chair, by George Sowden for Memphis Milano Collection

Palace Wood Chair, by George Sowden for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Group, George Sowden, Memphis Milano

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

Palace chair in colored lacquered wood, designed in 1983, by George Sowden. George Sowden was born in Leeds, UK in 1942. He studied architecture at Glou...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Wood

George J. Sowden "Oberoj" Italian Armchair in fabric for Memphis Milano
George J. Sowden "Oberoj" Italian Armchair in fabric for Memphis Milano

George J. Sowden "Oberoj" Italian Armchair in fabric for Memphis Milano

By George Sowden, Memphis Milano

Located in Varedo, Lombardia

The Concept & Inspiration Designed by George J. Sowden in 1981, the "Oberoj" armchair is a quintessential piece from the inaugural Memphis Milano collection, embodying the movement's...

Category

2010s Italian Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Fabric

Roma Green Armchair, by Marco Zanini for Memphis Milano Collection
Roma Green Armchair, by Marco Zanini for Memphis Milano Collection

Roma Green Armchair, by Marco Zanini for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Group, Marco Zanini, Memphis Milano

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

Roma Green Armchair in fiberglass with iridescent finish, designed by Marco Zanini in 1985. Marco Zanini was born in Trento in 1954. He graduated in architecture at the University o...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Ettore Sottsass "Westside" Luxury Italian Armchair for Memphis Milano
Ettore Sottsass "Westside" Luxury Italian Armchair for Memphis Milano

Ettore Sottsass "Westside" Luxury Italian Armchair for Memphis Milano

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Varedo, Lombardia

The Concept & Inspiration Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, the "Westside" armchair is a striking embodiment of the revolutionary Postmodern design movement. Inspired b...

Category

2010s Italian Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Metal

Memphis Milano "Roma" Postmodern Italian Fiberglass Armchair Marco Zanini/Green
Memphis Milano "Roma" Postmodern Italian Fiberglass Armchair Marco Zanini/Green

Memphis Milano "Roma" Postmodern Italian Fiberglass Armchair Marco Zanini/Green

By Marco Zanini, Memphis Milano

Located in Varedo, Lombardia

The Concept & Inspiration Designed by Marco Zanini in 1986, the "Roma" armchair is a striking homage to the architecture and monuments of the Eternal City. Its massive, solid, and sq...

Category

2010s Italian Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Memphis Milano "Roma" Postmodern Italian Fiberglass Armchair by Marco Zanini
Memphis Milano "Roma" Postmodern Italian Fiberglass Armchair by Marco Zanini

Memphis Milano "Roma" Postmodern Italian Fiberglass Armchair by Marco Zanini

By Marco Zanini, Memphis Milano

Located in Varedo, Lombardia

The Concept & Inspiration Designed by Marco Zanini in 1986, the "Roma" armchair is a striking homage to the architecture and monuments of the Eternal City. Its massive, solid, and sq...

Category

2010s Italian Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Memphis Milano "Oberoj Red" Luxury Armchair by George J. Sowden Limited Edition
Memphis Milano "Oberoj Red" Luxury Armchair by George J. Sowden Limited Edition

Memphis Milano "Oberoj Red" Luxury Armchair by George J. Sowden Limited Edition

By George Sowden, Memphis Milano

Located in Varedo, Lombardia

The Concept & Inspiration Designed by Memphis co-founder George J. Sowden in 1981, the "Oberoj" armchair—named after the luxury hotel group in New Delhi—is a quintessential icon of 1...

Category

2010s Italian Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

Cotton

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First Wood and Metal Chair, by Michele De Lucchi for Memphis Milano Collection

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By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Michele de Lucchi

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Augusto Bozzi for Saporiti Blue Fabric Armchair, Italy 1950s
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Previously Available Items
George Sowden follow artist Palace chair Memphis United Kingdom / Italy, 1983
George Sowden follow artist Palace chair Memphis United Kingdom / Italy, 1983

George Sowden follow artist Palace chair Memphis United Kingdom / Italy, 1983

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Located in Skokie, IL

George Sowden follow artist Palace chair Memphis United Kingdom / Italy, 1983 Dimensions: 34 1/2” h × 19 1/4” w × 19 1/2” d Materials: lacquered wood Condition: Very good vintage ...

Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Memphis Milano Armchairs

Materials

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Otello armchair by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Memphis Milano
Otello armchair by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Memphis Milano

Otello armchair by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Memphis Milano

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Located in Ravenna, IT

Armchair designed by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Memphis Milano in 1986, characterized by the particular shapes of its structural elements. uAn alternation of geometries, curves and point...

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1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Memphis Milano Armchairs

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Steel

Memphis Milano armchairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Memphis Milano armchairs are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Memphis Milano armchairs, although green editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 2 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 2 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original armchairs by Memphis Milano were created in the modern style in italy during the 1980s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider armchairs by Bieffeplast, Mario Marenco, and Piero Lissoni. Prices for Memphis Milano armchairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,251 and can go as high as $9,771, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,281.