Like so many of the greats of 20th-century Italian design, Tito Agnoli had an interest in, and a talent for, many different creative disciplines - from art and architecture to lighting and furniture. Most well known as an industrial designer, Agnoli worked with many materials over the course of his career, but it is for his rattan creations that he is truly celebrated. Today, more than half a century after his heyday, Agnoli’s ingeniously crafted cane designs are captivating a new generation of design lovers.
FROM ART TO ARCHITECTURE
Tito Agnoli was born in 1931 to Italian parents in Lima, Peru, and arrived in their homeland of Italy after the end of World War II. Growing up in Milan during a period of national transformation, he belonged to a generation of idealists and creatives inspired by the promise of new beginnings and a better future.
THE GOLDEN AGE OF ITALIAN DESIGN
As a freelance designer, Agnoli collaborated with many of the leading companies of the day, including the likes of Bonacina, Arflex, Poltrona Frau, and Molteni. Rather than operating his own studio space, he chose to embed himself in the organization wherever he could, working closely on site with technicians and production teams to refine manufacturing processes and translate his designs into reality.
SHOWCASING RATTAN CRAFT
As a freelance designer, Agnoli collaborated with many of the leading companies of the day, including the likes of Bonacina, Arflex, Poltrona Frau, and Molteni. Rather than operating his own studio space, he chose to embed himself in the organization wherever he could, working closely on site with technicians and production teams to refine manufacturing processes and translate his designs into reality.
