Italian industrial design Vico Magistretti was born in Milan on Oct. 6, 1920. He was the son of an architect, and during World War II, left Italy and moved to Switzerland. At this time, he took courses at the Champ Universitaire Italien in Lausanne. Magistretti met architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers and worked on an experimental neighborhood on the edge of Milan known as QT8. Magistretti constructed a "poetic" church in this neighborhood before returning to Milan in 1945. He graduated from the Politecnico di Milano University upon his return.

After graduation, Magistretti worked at an architectural firm owned by his father. His first globally recognized work was created in 1948, and he won the Gran Premio at the 8th Triennale. He worked initially in urban design in Milan, but in the 1950s he moved into the field of mass-produced furniture and lamps. Magistretti began designing for the Cassina furniture company in 1960.

Over the course of several decades, Magistretti created a wide range of furniture, lamps and other objects that can be found at locations worldwide. Many of his designs have been displayed in museums in the United States, Europe and Japan. Magistretti's designs also experimented with various materials and space innovations, along with distinct shapes and functions. Magistretti died on Sept. 19, 2006.