Disney, Missoni & More Makeover Kartell’s Iconic Componibili to Celebrate Its 50th Anniversary
This humble set of drawers is celebrating a milestone birthday. Kartell’s classic Componibili is 50 years old this year, and the Italian modern design company gave a slew of notable designers creative license to spice up the storage piece however they saw fit.
The Componibili was first released in 1967 by designer and Kartell cofounder Anna Castelli Ferrieri. This classic, which has a place in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art, is particularly adept at blending into its surroundings in the black and white colorways (chrome, red, copper, purple, and the like stand out a little more!). It’s a versatile item, working wonderfully as a bedside table or in a bathroom, home office, closet, or really anywhere you need storage. The units come in two diameters and can be stacked on each other to create a taller system; there’s also an option for bases with wheels.
And, for such an iconic piece, it’s also affordable: the two drawer Componibili starts at $130, while the three-drawer version is still under $200.
These designer Componibilis don’t exactly blend in, but of course, we’re loving them anyway. You’ll spot the bold colors and patterns of Italian design houses Missoni and Emilio Pucci, cheeky soup cans from Mario Bellini, and garden gnomes from Philippe Starck, as well as a sparkly nod to Beauty and the Beast from Disney. Some, like Ferruccio Laviani and Alberto Meda, totally changed the functionality of the piece, converting it to a planter (Laviani) and a desk (Meda).
If you’re in New York, you can stop by Kartell’s flagship store at 39 Greene Street to see the designer Componibilis in person. They’ll be there throughout NYCxDesign, which runs until May 24.
More Kartell- Design Classics: Kartell
- One Componibili, Five Ways
- Modern Classics: The Ghost Chair
- Modern Classics: Kartell’s Bourgie Lamp
h/t Design Milk