Shiro Kuramata

Shiro Kuramata (1934-1980) is one of the most famous Japanese designers of all time. His creations, often dreamlike and surreal, draw their charm from an unexpected fusion between a delicate poetry of oriental origin and the daring experiments of the nascent postmodernism with its unsettling shapes and unprecedented combinations of materials. Most of them are now re-proposed by the Italian brand Cappellini, which has made a great contribution to his international fame by re-editing some of his most famous works from the end of the 1980s together with furnishings designed directly for the brand. However, his close link with Italy dates back to a few years earlier, when his friend Ettore Sottsass had invited him to take part in the fruitful experience of Memphis, particularly similar to his poetics. Among the other brands with which Kuramata has had the opportunity to leave his mark there are also the Japanese Ishimaru, for which he designed the Miss Blanche armchair, among other products, and the Swiss giant Vitra, for which he created the immaterial How armchair High the Moon. Also active as an interior designer, in this capacity Kuramata is best known for having designed many of Issey Miyake's boutiques around the world.