Born in Oviedo (Spain) on May 12, 1961, but a Milanese by adoption for over twenty years, Patricia Urquiola is one of the most important figures in contemporary design and an icon of female creativity. Award-winning, exuberant, eclectic, and unstoppable, the list of her bestselling projects is endless, with many featured in some of the world’s most prestigious museums, first and foremost the MoMA in New York.
After graduating in 1989 from the Politecnico di Milano with Achille Castiglioni as her thesis advisor, she met several leading figures in the design world who helped launch her successful career—starting with Castiglioni himself, under whom she became an assistant in the industrial design course. She then collaborated with Vico Magistretti at the De Padova product development office, later with Piero Lissoni at Lissoni Associati as design coordinator, and finally with Patrizia Moroso.
In 2001, she opened her own studio in Milan, focusing on architecture, interiors, installations, and product design—her great passion. She has collaborated with numerous Italian and international brands such as Moroso, Kartell, Alessi, Louis Vuitton, Swarovski, Mutina, and Rosenthal, to name just a few. Her designs—ranging from chairs to upholstered furniture, from beds to tables, from vases to cutlery—are characterized by a distinctive and refined aesthetic.
Rugs Visioni and Rotazioni Rugs, 2018, CC Tapis Hand-knotted by Nepalese artisans, the Rotazioni and Visioni rugs appear three-dimensional thanks to their geometric designs and color shading. The black outlines and solid color fields contribute to a false sense of depth.
Bandas Collection, 2014, GAN Wool rugs with patterns and colors so different they resemble an assemblage of carpets. The collection also includes upholstered pieces, accessories, and storage units covered in geometric textures reinterpreted through color and layered materials.
Urquiola’s style is a blend of tradition and modernity, minimalism and richness, rigor and playfulness. Her works combine bold colors, textures, and patterns with simple shapes and volumes. Despite collaborating with companies of very different styles, she consistently brings her vision of design to each project: expressive, sophisticated, tactile—always aligned with both market demands and the individual brand’s identity.
Tierras Ceramics, 2014, Mutina. Six earth-inspired colors across eight sizes that create original compositions with large joints and contrasting colors.
Azulej Ceramics, 2012, Mutina The Azulej patterns blend intentionally diverse styles: memory, geometry, and pixel-inspired motifs, treated both longitudinally and diagonally. The collection marked the beginning of a long creative process with endless possibilities.
Trama Set, 2016, Kartell A complete tableware collection—plates, jugs, and glasses—with refined, faceted textures inspired by Japanese ceramics. The plates recall rural terracotta tea sets and feel rough to the touch due to their textured surface. In contrast, the glasses and jugs are made of polycarbonate and inspired by cut crystal.
Her work is characterized above all by her mastery of color and the skillful pairing of shades—sometimes tone-on-tone, other times in bold contrast. This visual language finds full expression at Cassina, where she has served as artistic director since 2015. There, she has reinterpreted iconic historical pieces with fresh colors and new finishes that bridge tradition and modernity.
Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand’s LC2 Armchair, 1928
Reissued by Cassina with new colors and finishes starting in 2015.
Her products break away from classical norms, often considered almost “nonconformist.” They are emotionally charged objects, with strong visual and tactile appeal—soft, generous, even oversized shapes that immediately convey a sense of comfort and warmth.
Gender Armchair, 2016, Cassina
Its name reflects the chair’s ability to shift identity based on the user’s choices of color and materials. The padded parts actively interact with the large rigid structure and create a very particular whole..
Lilo Armchair, 2016, Moroso
For Patricia Urquiola, research is essential and spans many fields—from traditional crafts to 1970s patterns, to woven nylon baskets and textile techniques from around the world. She also deeply investigates materials, exploring their potential—such as in her collaboration with Budri, where she juxtaposed marble with resins, challenging the hardness of the material itself.
Papiro Collection, 2015, Budri An evolution in marble design with polychrome inlaid surfaces. Traditional craftsmanship enhances the marble’s natural colors and allows its distinctiveness to breathe.
Coffe tables Marea, 2018, Budri. The Agua collection, inspired by the marine world, the preciousness of water, its transparency, and its intense colors.
Shimmer Collection, 2015, Glas Italia For Glas Italia Patricia Urquiola explores glass in a contemporary and innovative way. In Shimmer, the iridescent surfaces change color depending on the light and the viewer’s perspective.
Her portfolio also includes some of the most compelling interior design projects of recent years, such as the Das Stue Hotel in Berlin, the Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona, the Room Mate Giulia Hotel in Milan, and many showrooms for Moroso, Missoni, and Cassina around the world.
Room Mate Hotel Giulia, Milan, 2014
Showroom Cassina Milano, 2019
In the cover image, a portrait of Patricia Urquiola
