Memphis Style

Founded in Italy by prolific architect and designer Ettore Sottsass, Memphis design incorporates exaggerated scale, cartoonish shapes, abstract lines and bold colors to create one of the most whimsical design movements of the late 1900s. What some think of as 80s design, Memphis draws its roots from art movements, most notably Pop Art.

Memphis Style

One of the more colorful design movements of the twentieth century, Memphis design stacked bold geometries, abstract lines and bright colors for a unique style that dominated the eighties and early nineties. Born in Italy from architect and designer Ettore Sottsass, the Memphis Design Group channeled Art Deco and Pop Art for something entirely new. Exaggerated scale and almost cartoonish at first glance, Memphis spawned an array of notable designers, including Ettore Sottsass, Martine Bedin, Michael Graves and Thomas Bley.