Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau

Luigi Massoni (Milan, 1930–2013) for Poltrona Frau.
Pouf-stool, Italy, 1970s.
Cylindrical frame, fully upholstered in light blue.
Padded seat with a central indentation and small metal casters.
In good overall condition, with slight signs of wear consistent with its age.
Measurements: approx. 41 cm (height) x 55 cm (diameter).

A unique pouf designed by Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau in the 1970s, characterized by a bold cylindrical shape softened by the plush volume of the seat. The top features a distinctive ring-shaped form, deeply padded toward the center, while the discreet spherical metal wheels allow the piece to be easily moved and provide an attractive technical counterpoint to the upholstered volume. This same model is documented as a Massoni design for Poltrona Frau from the 1970s.

Its design effectively encapsulates the research conducted during those years on compact, mobile furniture with elementary forms—furniture capable of combining everyday functionality with a distinctive visual identity. The intense monochromatic blue accentuates its sculptural character and brings the piece closer to the Pop sensibility and formal experimentation of 1970s Italian design.

Luigi Massoni was a key figure in the consolidation of postwar Italian industrial design. An architect and designer born in Milan in 1930, he began his professional career in the 1950s and worked for some of the most influential “Made in Italy” companies, including Alessi, Boffi, Guzzini, Gallotti & Radice, and Poltrona Frau, a firm with which he collaborated beginning in 1967. His work spanned a wide range of disciplines: in addition to furniture and product design, he participated in communication and art direction projects and was associated with the magazine *Forme*. His work helped define a conception of design based on the union of functionality, formal clarity, and industrial production. He passed away in 2013.