Within the world of mid-century modern Italian design, few names capture creativity and experimentation quite like Gaetano Pesce.
While icons such as Gio Ponti, Ettore Sottsass, and Gae Aulenti shaped the Italian design landscape, Pesce stands out as the fearless visionary who turned imperfection into beauty and made individual expression a core principle of modern furniture design.
At Lumini Collections, we celebrate Gaetano Pesce’s bold spirit through a curated selection of his most iconic designs.
Our showroom in Australia features collectible pieces that embody his unique vision: from vibrant Resin Chairs and Up Series armchairs to limited-edition Italian design objects that blur the line between art and function.
Each piece tells a story of experimentation and individuality, reflecting Lumini’s commitment to preserving the legacy of mid-century Italian furniture and its ongoing influence on contemporary interiors.
Image - 1 " UP 7 " Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italian Sculptural Furniture Rubber Foot 2000 Edition
A Radical Voice in Italian Design
Born in La Spezia in 1939, Pesce’s career spanned architecture, sculpture, and industrial design.
Unlike many of his contemporaries who pursued clean lines and functional order, Pesce sought emotion in design — spontaneity, humor, and imperfection. His studio became a creative laboratory where resin, foam, and colour fused unpredictably, giving each piece its own personality.
Pesce once said that design should reflect “the time and place of its making.” His furniture did exactly that, capturing the social and cultural energy of late‑20th‑century Italy, where art and politics often overlapped.
Image 2 - Gaetano Pesce
The Iconic Up Series — Design as Social Commentary
Pesce’s Up Series (1969) for B&B Italia remains his defining work.
The Up5_6 chair, a voluptuous, anthropomorphic seat bound to a spherical ottoman was more than an armchair (feature picture of this story); it was a metaphor for constraint and liberation, particularly in the context of women’s empowerment.
Its biomorphic shape, soft texture, and bound form challenged modernism’s stoic minimalism and invited emotion back into everyday spaces.
Fluid Materials, Human Stories
From the 1980s onward, Pesce embraced liquid resin and casting techniques that allowed chance and mistake to guide creation.
Each chair, each lamp, each architectural panel came out different; a testament to his belief that “difference is beautiful.”
His studio work blurred the boundary between production and art, emphasising the individuality of every object, much like the way vintage Italian furniture tells its own story.
Gaetano Pesce’s Ongoing Influence
Today, Pesce’s philosophy feels more relevant than ever.
His call for diversity, imperfection, and emotional design echoes through contemporary studios worldwide.
In the spirit of Pesce’s experimentation, Lumini Collections celebrates pieces that invite touch, spark dialogue, and reveal character through material and form.
Gaetano Pesce didn’t just design furniture, he designed feelings. His work reminds us that design has power when it dares to be human, and beauty arises not from perfection, but from freedom.
We invite you to experience these remarkable pieces in person and feel the stories they carry.Each one a testament to timeless design and craftsmanship.
Whether you visit our Byron Bay studio or explore our collection online, every item is available for worldwide shipping, delivered with the same care and passion that define Lumini Collections.