“Memphis Design is a 1980s design aesthetic characterized by scattered, brightly colored shapes and lines.
“It typically combines circles and triangles with black-and-white graphic patterns such as polka dots and squiggly lines.(1)”
MEMPHIS MILANO
“It was on the evening of 11 December 1980. In the living room of his home in Milan, Ettore Sottsass welcomed colleagues, designers, and architects to talk about new forms of expression.(2)”Example of Memphis Inspiration: Carlton Wooden bookcase designed by Ettore Sottsass
Elvis Presley ’68 Comeback Special photo from Wikipedia“The name Memphis was chosen because it is the city in Tennessee where Elvis Presley lived, but also the capital of Ancient Egypt.”(7)
“Ettore’s friends on hand that evening were Martine Bedin, Aldo Cibic, Michele De Lucchi, Nathalie Du Pasquier, Matteo Thun, and George J. Sowden. Memphis was later also joined by Andrea Branzi, Shiro Kuramata, Marco Zanini, Peter Shire, Gerard Taylor, Masanori Umeda, Arquitectonica, Michael Graves, Hans Hollein, Arata Isozaki, Javier Mariscal.
“On 19 September 1981, at the gallery Arc ’74 during the Salone del Mobile in Milan 55 pieces were shown, including furniture, lamps and ceramic objects. Three months later, over 400 periodicals, on a worldwide scale, paid tribute to the success of Memphis.”(2)
MEMPHIS DESIGN GROUP
Members included:(4)
Martine Bedin
Andrea Branzi
Aldo Cibic
Michele De Lucchi
Nathalie du Pasquier
Massimo Iosa Ghini
Michael Graves
Shiro Kuramata
Javier Mariscal
Alessandro Mendini
Barbara Radice
Peter Shire
Ettore Sottsass
George Sowden
Matteo Thun
Marco Zanini
Marco Zanuso
MEMPHIS GROUP INSPIRATION
Bob Dylan Studio Album Cover
“The inspiration behind naming themselves “Memphis” came about during their first meeting when Bob Dylan’s record “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” had been playing repeatedly in the background.
“Memphis” is the name of a city in Tennessee, which was named after a capital city of ancient Egypt. The group of designers used the ambiguity behind the name to represent and symbolise their ambiguous design philosophies of furniture, objects and textiles. Sottsass showed great interest in the middle-class taste, the traditions of the Third World and the East, and unspoiled nature.(6)”
ETTORE SOTTSASS, GROUP FOUNDER
“He was one of the founders of the design group Memphis. Via Finnish Design Shop.
“Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) was an influential Italian designer and architect, who became famous for his colourful, modernist designs and experimental, radical attitude.
“He (Sottsass) was one of the founders of the design group Memphis, and in 1980 he founded his own agency Sottsass Associati, which today has offices in London and Milan. Sottsass designed many products for the Italian design brand Alessi, and his works are included in the Alessi 100 Values Collection which was launched to celebrate Alessi’s centennial.”(3)
SOTTSASS ASSSOCIATI
“Sottsass Associati is a design studio that continues the operating philosophy of Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007), a leading figure in the world of internationally known architecture and design project culture, with an activity of over 50 years and a long series of awards conferred on him by cultural and professional institutions around the world. The firm is now structured as a network of European professionals, with an administrative office in the UK and an operational office in Milan.”
“Alessi 100 Alessi is an Italian design company that can be considered more of a design laboratory than just a manufacturer – this distinctive Italian brand has always been a true trendsetter. Founded in 1921, Alessi has collaborated with talented designers for over a hundred years. Today, Alessi is regarded as one of the leading manufacturers of tableware, kitchen utensils and home decor in the design world.”
“The Alessi 100 Values Collection celebrates the centennial of the Italian design house Alessi, founded in 1921. Between April 2021 and March 2022, Alessi presents 12 different projects, each of them referring to the most essential values of the legendary brand. The objects of the collection come from the Alessi Museum’s archives and include previously unpublished designs and new editions of iconic products by Ettore Sottsass and other famous designers.”
MICHAEL GRAVES FOR ALESSI
“Timeless charm and appeal Shown in countless magazine features and movie sets, the little kettle has continued to charm the public ever since it was first launched and can be found in the permanent collections of museums and international institutions all over the world including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Australian National Gallery and the MuDe: Museum of Design and Fashion in Lisbon.”(8)
MEMPHIS JEWELRY
The Memphis Design aesthetic even extended itself to costume jewelry. In fact, it is available on Etsy.com. Memphis Design Jewelry available on Etsy.
Memphis Design Jewelry available on Etsy.