Anna Castelli Ferrieri: The Queen of Plastic and Kartell's Iconic Designs

Anna Castelli Ferrieri (1918–2006), often referred to as "the Queen of Plastic," established Kartell alongside her spouse Giulio Castelli in 1949, initially focusing on car accessories before evolving into a prominent plastic furniture manufacturer. She earned her architecture degree from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1943, drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus movement. Her inaugural design for Kartell was a plastic table introduced in 1964. The "Componibili" modular storage system debuted in 1967 and was showcased in MoMA's 1972 exhibition. From 1976 to 1987, she held the position of art director at Kartell, creating significant works such as the "4870 Chair," which received the Compasso d'Oro in 1987. In 1988, she sold Kartell to Claudio Luti and later taught at several institutions before starting ACF Officina in 1990.