Paolo Buffa Italy

Paolo Buffa (1903-1970) was a Milanese furniture designer. His work fused Neoclassical elements with Art Deco clarity and avant-garde forms for an upper-class audience concerned with contemporary design flair whilst upholding a classical old-world style. Having trained at the Politecnico di Milano, he briefly worked with Gio Ponti - 'the father of modern Italian design' - and co-founded a studio, later expanding this by opening his own independent practice in 1936. Post-WWII, Buffa exhibited internationally in showrooms and via catalogues, partnering with leading Lombard craftsman to produce furniture at scale. By the 1960s his work had grown more minimal, with designs entering luxury contemporary furniture manufacturers such as Cassina.