Turning 50
Feels Fabulous
Since 1966 B&B Italia has been at the forefront of iconic Italian design. This year, the brand celebrates its 50th birthday via a series of international events, a documentary film and a new book which features a minimalist photographic series which pays homage to a truly rich and diverse design heritage.
Over the last 50 years, B&B Italia has produced some of the most iconic pieces of furniture and has played an important role in bringing design into the mainstream consciousness. Quality, creativity and innovation have always been part of the brand’s legacy. B&B Italia has collaborated and championed groundbreaking designers and architects who are now leaders in their fields, including the late architect Zaha Hadid, designers Patricia Urquiola, Naoto Fukasawa, Antonio Citterio and Barber & Osgerby.
The brand is known for having an unwavering commitment to investment in research and experimentation. The use of new technologies and materials and several of their products have won Compasso d’Oro industrial design awards. These achievements are truly indicative of B&B Italia’s singular status – they stand as a design company truly unlike any other. Some of the brand’s most celebrated designs are the focus of a starkly beautiful photographic series titled: Abstract Landscapes that feature within the group’s latest book, The Long Life of Design in Italy: B&B Italia 50 Years and Beyond. Almost otherworldly, the series sees selected products placed within natural environments that highlight their form through bold contrast. Zaha Hadid’s Moon System glides silently on a granular red planet. Antonio Citterio’s Mart armchair rests back on a snow-dappled tundra. Shelf X by Naoto Fukasawa lies on pebbly sand, the lazy ripples of a wave caressing its geometry. While these products are beautifully portrayed photographically, in person their value becomes tangible.
For B&B Italia, the book, film and cavalcade of global events mark a 50-year milestone, as well as celebrate hundreds of iconic pieces and personal stories that connect us to the important legacy of design through the generations.