Known for designs that were both playful and purist, Achille Castiglioni’s rare perspective makes him one of the most celebrated designers of mid-century modernism. He’s also among the era’s most prolific, having produced over 150 objects during a career that spanned more than half a century.

Castiglioni began his design career at a studio founded by his two older brothers Livio and Pier Giacomo. A student of architecture, Achille was perhaps more fascinated by seemingly mundane, found objects, collecting anything from beer cans to bicycle seats. His philosophy was simple - “Start from scratch. Stick to common sense. Know your goals and means,” he would say. For Castiglioni, the result was often a complete change in behavior of an object, or the use of an unexpected, often industrial material.