Born in 1916 in Palermo, Domenico, nicknamed “Ico” Parisi, studied building construction in the early 1930s in Como and later became an architect and designer. He worked for the architect Guiseppe Terragni and became one of the founders of the architectural groups Alta Quota and Gruppo Como.
At the end of the 1930s Parisi made several films whose influence would be reflected in his designs.
In 1945, he set up the first of a long series of exhibitions of contemporary furniture in Como. A few years later, he founded the La Ruota studio with his wife, a former student of Gio Ponti.
He was also a member of the Association for Industrial Design, which helped to shape the industrial aesthetic of the post-war period.
Parisi’s style illustrates the modern Italian style of the 1950s with the combination of wood, metal and glass in the furniture pieces. The studio also brings together renowned artists and designers; among their clients are famous names: Singer & Sons, Altamira, M.I.M., Longhi or Cassina. Gio Ponti himself described the ‘Egg chair’ presented at the Triennale in Milan as a “marvel”. In 1955, he was awarded two Compasso d’Oro prizes for his creations.