Mario Bellini for B&B Italia

MARIO BELLINI (Milan, 1935) for B&B Italia.
“Camaleonda” modular sofa, designed in 1970, 1970s.
Three modules.
Upholstered in white fabric by Dedar Milano.
With manufacturer’s label: “B&B ITALIA / Novedrate, Como / CAMALEONDA system / designer M. BELLINI / registered model.”
In perfect condition.
Measurements: 93 x 90 x 67 cm.

One of the most iconic designs in Italian furniture from the 1970s, “Camaleonda” was conceived by Mario Bellini in 1970 as a seating system offering great compositional freedom. Its characteristic low, enveloping form is articulated through large upholstered modules, defined by a distinctive tufted pattern that creates deep indentations and gives the piece its recognizable sculptural appearance. B&B Italia specifically highlights modularity as the foundation of the design, achieved through a system of cables, hooks, and rings devised by Bellini that allows its various elements to be separated and recombined.

This example belongs to the model’s historical production run. “Camaleonda” was originally developed in 1970 for C&B Italia; in 1973, the company adopted the name B&B Italia, which is the name that appears on the label preserved beneath this piece. The model remained out of production for decades until its reissue by B&B Italia in 2020, a fact that distinguishes this piece from contemporary versions.

The current upholstery in white fabric by Dedar Milano accentuates the continuity of the forms and the boldness of its volumes, while the rounded profiles of the backrests and arms reinforce this conception of the sofa as flexible domestic architecture. Bellini’s own archive defines “Camaleonda” as a modular system of domestic furniture, an approach that explains both its ability to adapt to space and the relevance it has maintained since its debut.

Mario Bellini is one of the key figures in Italian design from the second half of the 20th century. An architect by training from the Polytechnic University of Milan, he developed an extensive career in industrial design, furniture, and architecture, collaborating with firms such as Olivetti, Cassina, and B&B Italia. He has received eight Compasso d'Oro awards, and 25 of his designs are part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which dedicated a solo retrospective to him in 1987.