LELLA VIGNELLI (1934-2016)

Lella Vignelli was an Italian designer born in 1934, who, with her husband, Massimo Vignelli, is recognized as being a leading force in twentieth-century industrial design.

The Vignellis always worked together, yet each had a role: Lella, a trained architect, was interested in three-dimensional design, while Massimo focused on graphic design. Starting in the 1960s, the couple worked with leading Italian brands like Pirelli and Olivetti. Then they established Unimark, a global design consulting firm, and, later, Vignelli Associates, which they founded in 1971, and a sister company, Vignelli Designs, which began in 1978.

During their illustrious careers, the Vignellis created brand identities for American Airlines, Bloomingdale’s, Benetton, and Ford. Lella also designed furniture for Poltrona Frau, Knoll, Acerbis International, Heller, and Poltronova. Famously, the design of the New York City subway map is credited to Massimo.

Vignelli also had a passion for silver and designed hollowware, flatware, and jewelry during her career. She favored design objects that were clean and simple yet elegant. This can be seen in the jewelry that she designed for the Milanese silversmith San Lorenzo beginning in 1972. The necklace that resembles a seventeenth-century ruff was one of Lella’s favorite pieces as she was frequently photographed wearing it. In the publication Designed by Lella Vigenlli, Massimo wrote, “Lella has long admired the fabulous ruff collars worn in the 1600s. With San Lorenzo, they found the way to translate the attributes of those collars into a silver piece of outstanding luminosity. The way the necklace enlightens and highlights the face is the remarkable feature of this piece of jewelry.”

 Visit our exhibition page for “Women of Vision” to learn more about the inspired, avant-garde, and original jewelry by women designers in our collection.