Italian Modern Chromed Metal & Cotton Sof Sof Chairs attributed to Enzo Mari for Driade, 1980s, Set of 3

Artist-designer Enzo Mari was born in Novara, Italy in 1932. He studied art and literature at the Accademia di Brera in Milan, but, self-taught as a designer, began working in industrial design during the 1950s. He opened his own design studio in Milan in 1952, from where he has continued to work for over sixty years. Mari has long been interested in the theoretical role of the designer and objects in everyday life, as well as the broader psychology of visual perception; to that end, he has experimented in a variety of visual arts, even founding the Nuova Tendenza movement in Milan in 1963. A respected theorist and teacher, he taught at the Società Umanitaria in Milan between 1963 and 1966, since which time he has continued to teach both in Italy and abroad.

Mari’s work is driven by function and respect for materials. It ranges from furniture, ceramics , and , to books, games, and beyond. Notable works include, among others, 16 Animals (1957), a puzzle featuring carved wooden animal shapes that combine to form a rectangle (this was his first design for the Italian manufacturer Danese); Vase Model 3087 (1969), a double conical vase that functions whether standing on its top or bottom; the Sumatra filing system (1976); and Delfina (1974), a chair featuring a seat and back made of zippered sailcloth. Clients include Le Creuset, Artemide, Magis, Alessi, Zanotta, Driade, Muji, and Japanese furniture atelier Hida Sangyo. His work is included in the permanent collections of numerous respected institutions, with the Museum of Modern Art alone counting nearly thirty Mari designs.

Mari lives and works in Italy.

Italian furniture manufacturer Driade was founded in 1968 by designers Enrico Astori, Antonia Astori, and Adelaide Acerbi. The company was built on three important principles: project planning, execution and advertising. Enrico established himself as art director, while Antonia was the designer and architect, and Adelaide was in charge of the brand’s image and communication. Their ultimate goal was to introduce experimentation into mass-produced products. Driade's early successes came through collaborations with cutting-edge Italian designers like De Pas, D’Urbino & Lomazzi, Enzo Mari, Nanda Vigo, and Lella and Massimo Vignelli. As the company grew, the roster of designers expanded internationally.

During the 1980s, Driade hired prolific French designer Philippe Starck, who designed many iconic pieces and influenced the company's general aesthetic. Iconic Driade designs by Starck include Miss Dorn Chair (1980), the three-legged Costes Armchair (1984), J. Série Lang Chair (1986), Lola Mundo Chair (1988), and Vicieuse Coffee Table (1992), to name a few.

In 1983, Driade published its first furniture manual, which was sold at news-stands. In 1988, the company moved its headquarters to a new building designed by Antonia in Fossadello, near Piacenza. In the mid-1990s, the DriadeStore collection was introduced as a collection of items for everyday living targeted at a younger demographic.

Since the beginning, Driade aimed to work with designers who were able to anticipate new lines of research and trends in order to design unique products for the home, gardens, and public spaces.  Over the course of the company’s history, Driade has collaborated with a wealth of high-profile designers, such as Atelier Oï, Ron Arad, Claudio Bellini, Iluis Clotet, Toyo Ito, Fabrio Novembre, Bořek Šípek, George Sowden, Oscar Tusquets, and Marco Zanuso Jr., among others. Notable designs include Antonia Astori’s Oikos (1972); Enzo Mari’s Delfina Chair (1979, winner of Compasso d’Oro); Alessandro Mendini’s Sabrina Sofa (1982); Bořek Šípek’s Jansky Chair (1986); Enzo Mari’s LegatoTable (2001, winner of Compasso d’Oro); Dong’s Adelaide Tableware (2008); Arad’s MT3 Rocking Chair (2008, winner of Compasso d’Oro); and Novembre’s Nemo Chair (2010).

In 2013, Driade was purchased by Italian Creation Group, an Italian industrial holding company. In 2014, architect David Chipperfield was appointed the new Art Director. In 2016, Chipperfield introduced the Driade Living Room 2016. Designers for the collection include Philippe Starck, Konstantin Grcic, Naoto Fukasawa, Lievore Altherr Molina, Fredrikson Stallard, and Ludovica+Roberto Palomba.