Ernesto Gismondi was born in 1931 in San Remo, Italy, and studied aeronautical and missile engineering in Milan and Rome. In 1959, he founded the company Artemide. In the early 1980's Ernesto Gismondi was a member of the Memphis collective group, founded by Ettore Sottsass. With his pioneering design spirit, Ernesto Gismondi ranks among the leading figures in the international design scene. He has created many classic lamp designs that continue to be popular today.