Bambole Sofa by Mario Bellini

Bambole sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1973, fully reupholstered with new upholstery fabric from Pierre Frey by a professional upholsterer. The Bambole model was designed in 1972 by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia, the young company that would become B&B Italia, after the designer signed the 4 Gatti, Amanta, Gli Scacchi, and Camaleonda series. His initial idea can be summed up in one sentence: a large soft cushion in all its parts. Where a classic sofa rests on a rigid frame, the Bambole has no supporting structure: metal inserts are embedded in polyurethane foam injected in various densities, and the fabric itself contributes to the overall support. "Not covered in fabric, but constructed in fabric," Bellini summarised. Launched at the Milan Furniture Fair in 1972 in a campaign by Oliviero Toscani that caused a sensation, the model received the Compasso d’Oro in 1979 at the Triennale di Milano, the distinction that established it among the classics of Italian design from the 1970s. Our example, from 1973, has been fully reupholstered by a professional upholsterer with new upholstery fabric from Pierre Frey: the piece is ready to live a second life, with the comfort that has made the model famous. Dimensions: L. 170 x D. 93 x H. 73 cm, seat height 43 cm. Condition: excellent condition, new Pierre Frey upholstery.