Designer Perry King Dies at 81, Remembered for Olivetti Valentine

Perry King, the British-born designer who co-founded the influential King & Miranda studio in Italy, has died at the age of 81. Born in London in 1938 to artist parents, King studied industrial design at Birmingham School of Art before moving to Italy in the 1960s. There he worked with Ettore Sottsass Jr. at Olivetti, contributing to the iconic red Valentine typewriter. In the 1970s, he partnered with Santiago Miranda, forming a lasting creative alliance. King's design philosophy emphasized ethical and aesthetic responsibility, shaped by his Quaker schooling which taught him responsibility toward others. A 2019 book, 'Perry King Conversazione sul design,' edited by Corrado Bosi, traces the evolution of design over the past 50 years through King's career. King is remembered as a gentle, unassuming man who wore a beaded necklace given by his daughter.