Every so often a company produces a design so iconic that it comes to symbolize its entire history. For Studio 65, the Italian avant-garde design collective cofounded by Franco Audrito, Piero Gatti and others, this was the Bocca sofa — alternatively known as the “lips sofa,” “red lip sofa,” “Dalí sofa” or Marilyn sofa.”
Studio 65’s lip-shaped seat — modeled after a singular feature from Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí’s portrait of Mae West — became a design icon shortly after its release in 1970 and remains a beloved collector’s item today. The Bocca symbolizes Studio 65’s playful, subversive approach to design. The collective took shape in Turin in 1965 with the goal of avant-garde experimentation. The group would eventually grow to comprise artists, designers and poets, including Roberta Garosci, Enzo Bertone, Paolo Morello and Paolo Rondelli. It would also play a central role in the Italian Radical design movement, the practitioners of which found inspiration in Pop art, minimalism and Arte Povera.
The Bocca sofa was born of one of Audrito’s earliest commissions — to design a gym in Milan — which he accepted just a year after graduating from architecture school. The collective enlisted Italian manufacturer Gufram, a firm at the forefront of Italian Radical design, to create a bold red sofa in the shape of plump lips; it was dubbed Marilyn after Ms. Monroe and was an instant sensation when installed at the fitness center.
Studio 65 would follow this with the also iconic Capitello side chair (another Gufram collaboration, now in the permanent collection at The Met), whose reimagining of a decapitated marble classical architectural column in squishy foam was an on-the-nose expression of the group’s pushback to traditional design. It’s a nod they iterated with the Attica coffee table, whose form appears sliced from an oversize column.
Though Studio 65 still operates as an architecture studio under the leadership of Audrito today, the original collective broke up in the late 1970s, making its output from the past decade sought-after fodder for collectors of postmodern, Radical and Italian design.
Find Studio 65 chairs, sofas and other furniture on 1stDibs.
$4,900 / item
GUFRAM Attica Armchair by Studio 65
By Gufram Furniture, Studio 65
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The armchair Attica is contemporary archaeological finds that can be left out in the weather thanks to a particular finish which is suited also to outdoor ...
Other
Modern Armchair Chaise Lounge Studio 65 Gufram Soft Polyurethane White
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in Milan, IT
What happens if a Majestic Greek column falls down and breaks into several pieces? The answer is obvious: it is transformed into a Gufram lounge. This architectural archetype, produced in polyurethane, becomes in this way a series of objects of Industrial Design of smooth texture and cosy ergonomics. The Ionic volute, which is the upper part of the column and was not by chance called Capitello, becomes a luxurious chaise...
Foam
Gufram Attica Limited Edition Greek Column Sculptural Armchair by Studio 65
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in Varedo, Lombardia
Originally designed by Studio 65, the Attica armchair is an iconic expression of Italian Radical Design. Produced by Gufram as a Limited Edition of only 1,000 pieces, Attica forms pa...
Other
Gufram Capitello Sculptural Greek Column Armchair, Limited Edition by Studio 65
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in Varedo, Lombardia
Originally designed by Studio 65 in 1971, the Capitello is one of the most celebrated icons of Italian Radical Design. Produced by Gufram as a Limited Edition of only 500 pieces, thi...
Other
Armchair model “Capitello” by Studio 65
By Studio 65
Located in Barcelona, ES
Armchair model “Capitello” Manufactured by Gufram Italy, 1970s Polyurethane Measurements 110 cm x 110 cm x 60h cm 43,3 in x 43,3 in x 23,6h in Literature Michael Collins. Towards Pos...
Polystyrene
$13,200 / item
H 33.47 in W 83.47 in D 31.5 in
GUFRAM BOCCA (LIPS) by Studio 65 (Registered Trademark)
By Gufram Furniture, Studio 65
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Bocca, the original 1970 lips-shaped couch is only Gufram's. This sensual couch, which is ideal for a tête-à-tête, has entered the collective imagination on par with Andy Warhol's works, as well as other pop art masterpieces...
Other
PILLAR CHAISE - Modern design in Soft White Boucle
By Susan Hornbeak-Ortiz
Located in Laguna Niguel, CA
The Pillar Chaise is a stunning piece of furniture with a unique and captivating design. It is characterized by layered, asymmetrical design elements that create a sense of sophistication and simplicity. The deliberate imbalance in these design elements comes together harmoniously to make a minimal yet elegant design statement. The displayed fabric for the Pillar Chaise is a warm and inviting soft white...
Fabric
$6,000
H 43.31 in W 47.25 in D 32.29 in
CAPITELLO Lounge Chair, Studio 65 for GUFRAM, Limited Edition Italy 1972
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Rare limited edition “Capitello” chaise lounge designed by Studio 65 for Gufram, originally designed in 1971. Marked 166/500, this iconic sculptural form reinterprets the capital of ...
Foam
Limited Edition Bo Armchair by Giacomo Tomazzi Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Limited Edition Bo Armchair by Giacomo Tomazzi Studio Dimensions: W 97 x D 95 x H 75 cm Materials: Stainless steel tube, natural carnauba fiber, pineapple leather and solid wood sphe...
Stainless Steel
$9,800 / item
+ 3 moreH 33.47 in W 83.47 in D 31.5 in
Gufram Standard Colors Bocca Unlimited by Studio 65
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Bocca revolutionizes its image: 25 new colors dye Gufram’s iconic lips, which for the occasion are dressed up in an unprecedented, more mater...
Wool
GUFRAM Pink Lady Couch by Studio 65
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Bocca, the original 1970 lips-shaped couch is only Gufram's. This sensual couch, which is ideal for a tête-à-tête, has entered the collective imagination on par with Andy Warhol's works, as well as other pop art masterpieces...
Other
GUFRAM Dark Lady Couch by Studio 65
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Bocca, the original 1970 lips-shaped couch is only Gufram's. This sensual couch, which is ideal for a tête-à-tête, has entered the collective imagination ...
Other
GUFRAM Capitello Chaise Lounge by Studio 65
By Gufram Furniture, Studio 65
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The chaise loungeCapitello is contemporary archaeological finds that can be left out in the weather thanks to a particular finish which is suited also to outdoor use. Or displayed in...
Foam
$10,600 / item
+ 16 moreH 33.47 in W 83.47 in D 31.5 in
Gufram Special Colors Bocca Unlimited by Studio 65
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Bocca revolutionizes its image: 25 new colors dye Gufram’s iconic lips, which for the occasion are dressed up in an unprecedented, more mater...
Wool
$9,202 / item
H 36.7 in W 25.6 in D 47.3 in
Sculptural Modern Chaise Lounge, Old Silver Metal & Natural Tobacco Leather
By Jover + Valls
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
The Hug contemporary chaise longue is designed and conceived with a light aesthetic, the slight oscillation of the steel rod of 16 mm is complemented by the flexibility of the doubl...
Brass, Steel
$8,191 / set
H 31.5 in W 33.47 in D 31.5 in
Model 65A Armchair (for Rolex) by Florence Knoll for Knoll, USA, 1960s, Set of 2
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in GORINCHEM, NL
Designed by Florence Knoll in 1956, model 65A Lounge Chair is one of the most recognizable and enduring expressions of mid-century modern design. Influenced by the clean lines and ra...
Chrome
French Bistro armchair By Philippe Model Maison at Studio ALM
By Philippe Model Maison
Located in Paddington, NSW
Philippe Model Maison is a French furniture house dedicated to artisanal craftsmanship and vibrant design. Founded by designer Philippe Model, the brand produces unique hand-woven in...
Bamboo, Rattan
Sold
H 32.29 in W 43.31 in D 47.25 in
Modern Armchair Chaise Longue Studio 65 Gufram Soft Polyurethane White
By Studio 65, Gufram Furniture
Located in Milan, IT
What happens if a Majestic Greek column falls down and breaks into several pieces? The answer is obvious: it is transformed into a Gufram lounge. This architectural archetype, produced in polyurethane, becomes in this way a series of objects of industrial design of smooth texture and cosy ergonomics. The Ionic volute, which is the upper part of the column and was not by chance called Capitello, becomes a luxurious chaise...
Foam
Sold
H 24.81 in W 27.56 in D 27.37 in
Triptyque, Foam Fabric Glass Polyurethane 1980s Studio 65, Gufram
By Gufram Furniture, Studio 65
Located in Milano, IT
Triptyque made of a small table and two armchairs from the collection "I Multipli"; cold foamed polyurethane, foam pillows and fabric covering, mirrored glass table's top.
Fabric, Mirror, Foam, Polystyrene