Originally designed by Mario Bellini in 1972 for the Museum of Modern Art exhibition ‘Italy: The New Domestic Landscape’, the Camaleonda was manufactured by B&B Italia for 5 years until 1979. Since then the Camaleonda sofa has become a design icon and collector's item, leading to B&B Italia to reissue the design in 2021. Made up of a seat, backrest, armrest, and (frankly never seen before) footstool, they can be arranged in a multitude of permutations to suit the user. This timeless and versatile design will add a touch of relaxed 1970s style to any contemporary home.

Mario Bellini is an internationally renowned architect and designer. He received the Golden Compass Award eight times and 25 of his works are in the permanent design collection of the New York MoMA, which dedicated to him a personal retrospective in 1987. He was editor of Domus magazine (1985-1991) and has designed countless art, design and architecture exhibitions over the years, both in Italy and abroad.

In 2015 the Milan Triennale awarded him the Gold Medal for his career in architecture and in 2017 they dedicated to him a retrospective exhibition which was then the subject of a world tour. Since 1980, he has mainly devoted himself to architecture with numerous prestigious creations including: the Portello Trade Fair district in Milan, the Villa Erba Exhibition and Convention Centre in Cernobbio (Como), the Tokyo Design Centre in Japan, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Department of Islamic Art at the Louvre in Paris, the new Milan Convention Centre, the new international Airterminal T3 in Rome Fiumicino.

Some information about the company: C&B Italia (a joint venture between Cassina and Busnelli) is founded in 1966 by Piero Ambrogio Busnelli. A modern industrial and technological approach that shakes the world of upholstered items. in 1973 Piero Ambrogio Busnelli purchases Cassina’s shares and changes the name of the company to B&B Italia with a new headquarters building designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. By the early 1970s the company had already designed some of the most classic and timeless items of furniture, amongst which the Camaleonda sofa and the Le Bambole sofa, winer of the "Compasso d'Oro" in 1979, the most important award in the field of Italian industrial design. it is hard to overstate the innovation in design that is spearheaded by this company. The Camaleonda sofa is now already over half a century old and looks as modern and relevant now as it has ever been, so much so that the company has recently relaunched the item in its product range. It has always collaborated with some of the most influential architects and designers in Italy, keeping the company at the cutting edge of design and technology.

Condition: overall good vintage condition. Some wear to the leather, one fastener possibly lacking, please refer to photographs.

Dimensions of sofa: 70cm high, 90cm wide, 90cm deep, 36cm seat height; dimensions of footrest: 38cm high, 90cm wide, 31cm deep