Ettore Sottsass

Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck, Austria in 1917, but he grew up in Milan, Italy. He was friends with many great artists such as Picasso and Hemingway, and his designs are intensely unique. His works are, for the most part, geometric, and although they are seemingly shallow, Sottsass was known for creating strong emotional reactions in the viewers of his designs through his use of color, shape, and material. Sottsass once stated, "When I began designing machines I also began to think that these objects, which sit next to each other and around people, can influence not only the physical conditions but also emotions. They can touch the nerves, the blood, the muscles, the eyes, and the moods of people." 

In 1980, Sottsass ran an extremely popular design consulting firm called Sottsass Associati, which hired architects, interior designers, industrial designers, and furniture designers. Sottsass Associati is still active today and is based out of London and Milan. 

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/may/18/ettore-sottsass-review-godfather-italian-cool-memphis-collective
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ettore-sottsass-designer-dossier-176806