Founded by Giulio Castelli in 1949, in those years Kartell took its first steps in the creation of the design that would become the flagship of Made in Italy. The fundamental intuition was to bring a material never before used for such purposes into the domestic environment: plastic. Suddenly everyday objects became practical, colourful, fun, simplifying domestic life. From the very beginning, the brand's main focus has been on continuous research into materials, shapes and finishes.
In 1988, the company was taken over by Claudio Luti, Giulio and Anna Castelli's son-in-law, who came from the world of fashion. The sensitivity gained at Maison Versace with its love of perfection and taste is transformed into a new life for the brand. Luti called in designers and architects such as Philippe Starck, Ron Arad, Antonio Citterio, Ferruccio Laviani, Piero Lissoni, Patricia Urquiola, Mario Bellini, Alberto Meda and Vico Magistretti, thanks to whom the products that were soon to become symbols of the brand were created. The renewed approach with materials dictates Kartell's course and turning points: their elaboration, manipulation and enrichment leads to a final product that takes on connotations never seen before.
