B&B Italia is one of the most influential companies in international furniture history. Founded in 1966 by Piero Ambrogio Busnelli — initially as C&B Italia in partnership with Cesare Cassina — Busnelli separated from his co-founder in 1973 and renamed the company B&B Italia: the first "B" for the banks that had supported him, the second for his own surname. Headquarters and main factory in Novedrate (Como): the industrial building designed in 1971/1973 by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers is considered an early forerunner of the Centre Pompidou in Paris and is an architectural landmark in its own right. Since December 2018 B&B Italia has been part of Design Holding (Investindustrial and The Carlyle Group), which also includes Flos and Louis Poulsen, operating under the Flos B&B Italia Group umbrella. Artistic director since 2021: Piero Lissoni. Present in over 80 countries with 11 flagship stores (Milan, Paris, London, Monaco, New York, Dallas, Washington and others), 70+ single-brand stores and 900 specialist dealers. Exports account for 80% of total revenue.
Technology heritage: in 1966 B&B Italia was the world's first furniture company to apply cold-moulded polyurethane foam industrially (developed with Bayer AG) — a revolution that integrated steel skeleton and foam core directly into the mould, replacing traditional spring-and-stuffing upholstery. 4 Compasso d'Oro: Le Bambole (Mario Bellini, 1979), Sisamo (Studio Kairos, 1984), Sity (Antonio Citterio, 1987), corporate award (1989, first ever given directly to a furniture company). Icons: Up Series (Gaetano Pesce, 1969; Compasso d'Oro Career Award 2022), Camaleonda (Mario Bellini, 1970, re-edition 2020), Le Bambole (Mario Bellini, 1972), Charles (Antonio Citterio), Tufty-Time (Patricia Urquiola, 2005), Moon System (Zaha Hadid), Bend-Sofa. 1,200+ designs. Brand group: B&B Italia, Maxalto (est. 1975, art direction Antonio Citterio), Arclinea, Azucena. Designer portfolio: Antonio Citterio, Patricia Urquiola, Mario Bellini, Gaetano Pesce, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Jasper Morrison, Marcel Wanders, David Chipperfield and many others. Contract Division: 40+ years, turnkey projects for hospitality, retail, marine and offices. References: Bulgari Hotels (Milan, London, Tokyo, Rome, Beijing), Conservatorium Hotel Amsterdam, Mandarin Oriental Barcelona, Starbucks Roastery Milan (8m brass cask).
For architects, interior designers and hospitality developers, B&B Italia is the global reference brand for technologically grounded contemporary living design — with an unrivalled design heritage, a complete residential and contract ecosystem, and the strongest designer portfolio in the international furniture industry.