Lella + Massimo Vignelli

Designers Lella Vignelli (Italian, 1934-2016) and Massimo Vignelli (Italian, 1931-2014) had a lifelong collaborative working relationship. Associated with the modernist tradition, the Vignellis commonly used minimalistic and geometric forms within their work. They worked in many different design fields, including interior, graphic, environmental, furniture, and product Design. The Vignellis moved to New York in 1966 to lead the New York branch of Unimark International, a large design firm that is responsible for many renowned corporate images, such as American Airlines, New York City subway, and the Washington D.C. metro. Together, they founded Vignelli Associates, through which they worked with clients such as IBM, Bloomingdales, and Knoll. In 2008, Massimo and Lella Vignelli donated the entire archive of their design work to Rochester Institute of Technology. The archive is housed in a building designed by Lella and Massimo Vignelli, The Vignelli Center For Design Studies.