Originally training as an architect at the Politecnico di Milan, Vico Magistretti began his career in architecture, town planning and industrial design. Working alongside the architect Paolo Chessa at the studio run by his father, Pier Giulio, Magistretti went on to design iconic landmarks such as the Church of Santa Maria Nascente in Milan, the Tanimoto House in Tokyo and the Bianchi House in Ghiffa, as well as turning his skilled hand to lighting and furniture design.

Experimenting with shape, form and function, each piece Magistretti designed was ahead of its time. Going on to collaborate with design houses such as Artemide, Cassina, De Padova, Fritz Hansen and Kartell, Magistretti created a host of pieces that became instant icons. From the Eclisse Lamp to the Teti Wall Light, his work has been featured in exhibitions and permanent collections in museums all over the world, including New York’s MoMA.

Designed by Vico Magistretti in 1967, this Pop masterpiece won the Compasso D’Oro for its original and inventive design.

First designed on the back of a metro ticket, Magistretti was inspired by Victor Hugo’s description of Jean Valjean’s lantern in the novel Les Misérables and sought to emulate it in a modern design.

The innovative Eclisse Lamp features a rotating inner shade that covers the light, allowing the user to fully control its intensity. When closed completely the Eclisse Lamp gives the impression of an eclipse, a feat that earnt it a place in the permanent collections at La Triennale in Milan, MOMA in New York and the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome.