“Massimo Vignelli conceived design as a form of pureness. He fought against who worked without any professional dignity generating visual pollution,” — Italo Lupi

 

A B O U T

Massimo Vignelli was one of the most important designers of the 20th century. He was born in Italy but subsequently moved to New York, where he practiced design for nearly 50 years. Throughout Vignelli’s career, he has experimented with many forms of design, from graphic to furniture to packaging. His modernist approach to his work, brought discipline and purpose to design.

W O R K S

In 1966, Vignelli started Unimark International Corporation in New York with five others. The company quickly became one of the largest design firms in the world. During Vignelli’s time in Unimark, he created many iconic works for corporate brands such as American Airlines, Ford and Knoll. He also designed the signage for the New York City Subway System and its Graphic Standards Manual. Additionally, Vignelli’s work contributed greatly to the success and widespread use of Helvetica.

American Airlines|Logotype
1967 

Knoll | Logotype
1966

Knoll International | Poster
1967

New York City Subway | Foldable Map
1970

Vignelli left Unimark in 1971, as he felt that the company’s design vision was no longer in sync with his. Subsequently, he established Vignelli Associates with his wife, Lella Vignelli. Works done during this period includes Knoll, Bloomingdale’s, the U.S. National Parks Service and many others.

Bloomingdale’s | Logotype
1972

National Park Service | Publication Program
1977

T H O U G H T S

Vignelli has impacted the world of design in so many ways. His works were truly a work of art, with their clean and elegant appearance. I really liked the logotypes that he has created for the various companies, especially the one for Bloomingdale’s. It’s fascinating to see how he can create such strong image and identity for the companies with the use of type and its arrangement.

Even though many of his iconic designs were done approximately 40 years ago, they still remain relevant and impressive up till this day. Vignelli was a forward looking man and his designs anticipate the future and withstand the test of time.