As the Memphis group celebrates its 40th anniversary, we explore the iconic movement from the eighties that celebrities and design lovers adore
Tall, pink and wavy. You’ve probably spotted this iconic mirror nearly everywhere gracing the homes (and Instagrams) of numerous celebrities from Karl Lagerfeld, Bella Hadid, Frank Ocean and Elsa Hosk to G-Dragon and Blackpink’s Jisoo. It’s none other than the Ultrafragola mirror, which translates to “ultimate strawberry” in Italian.
Framed in a millennial-pink vacuum-molded acrylic with cast fibreglass, the statement piece is said to pay homage to women and femininity with its sensual curves that resemble the waves of a woman’s hair. The soft neon glow—courtesy of the embedded neon tubes within the mirror—transforms the mirror when illuminated, adding another layer of charm.
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The origins of the Ultrafragola mirror dates back to 1970. Designed by famous Italian architect Ettore Sottsass, the six-foot-tall mirror debuted at Milan’s Eurodomus 3 trade show later that year.
With its bright, whimsical design and playful pattern, the mirror is a tangible artefact of Sottsass’ design ethos. It was part of the Mobili Grigi series, a bedroom collection designed by Sottsass in collaboration with Florentine manufacturer Poltronova. The Ultrafragola would ultimately be the only piece in the collection to move beyond its prototype phase.
The mirror, currently still being produced in Florence by Poltronova with the original 1970 mould, also fashioned the precursor to what some have named as Sottsass’ greatest accomplishment: the formation of the Memphis Group, a Milan design collective that focused on bold and quirky postmodern designs.