Cassina
Italian design house founded in 1927 in Meda, spanning licensed reissues of 20th-century masters and new commissions, read for the US buyer.
A century of Italian craft and design authorship.
Cassina was founded in 1927 by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina in Meda, in the Brianza furniture district north of Milan, where the company still produces today. In the 1950s it helped pioneer the transition from artisan cabinet-making to industrial furniture production in Italy. In 1964 it secured exclusive rights to manufacture the furniture of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, launching the I Maestri collection that has since grown to include Gerrit Rietveld, Frank Lloyd Wright and other 20th-century masters. Since 2015, Patricia Urquiola has served as the house's art director.
The catalogue is divided between I Maestri, which reissues verified historical designs with philological care, and I Contemporanei, which commissions new work from designers including Mario Bellini, Rodolfo Dordoni, Antonio Citterio and Vico Magistretti. All products carry the MedaMade mark, reflecting the company's continued production in its Meda home. For US buyers, collections reach the market through authorised dealers.
A selection of lines.
Vidalenta
Patricia Urquiola's outdoor living and dining system, built on fluted powder-coated aluminium with iroko, travertine or glass tabletop options.
Vidalenta
Designed by Patricia UrquiolaVidalenta is Cassina's outdoor living system designed by Patricia Urquiola. Its defining motif is a repeating flute that runs across both the upholstery and the load-bearing aluminium structure, catching and vibrating reflected light across the surface. The collection spans lounge chairs, sofas, dining chairs, tables and sunbeds.
Tables are offered with three top materials: Roman travertine, enamelled glass, and fluted solid iroko. Sunbed padding uses open-cell polyurethane with a water-repellent layer and breathable outer fabric. Every element is designed for disassembly to separate materials at end of life.
What the pieces are made of.
Across its outdoor work Cassina uses powder-coated extruded aluminium frames, solid iroko wood in natural or lacquered finish, hand-woven polypropylene rope, and weatherproof outdoor fabrics. Indoor collections draw on leather, solid wood, lacquered steel and high-density foam, with each piece tied to a named designer and verified specification.
On every brand page these details stay factual and sourced. Collection names, designers and materials are checked against the maker before they go live.
Cassina, answered.
Where is Cassina made?
Cassina is headquartered and produced in Meda, in the Brianza furniture district north of Milan, Italy, where the company has been based since 1927. All products carry the MedaMade mark.
When was Cassina founded?
In 1927, by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina, in Meda, Italy.
What is the I Maestri collection?
I Maestri is Cassina's program of licensed reissues of 20th-century design icons. It began in 1964 with the acquisition of rights to manufacture the furniture of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, and later expanded to include Gerrit Rietveld, Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and others.
Who designs for Cassina?
The contemporary collection includes work by Patricia Urquiola (art director since 2015), Mario Bellini, Antonio Citterio, Rodolfo Dordoni, Vico Magistretti, Afra & Tobia Scarpa and Gaetano Pesce, among others.
What is the Vidalenta collection?
Vidalenta is an outdoor living and dining system designed by Patricia Urquiola, built around a fluted aluminium structure and available with travertine, enamelled glass or solid iroko tabletops, alongside sofas, lounge chairs and sunbeds.
What is the Esosoft Outdoor sofa?
Esosoft Outdoor is a modular sofa designed by Antonio Citterio, featuring a stainless-steel base, a hand-woven synthetic fibre shell and deep cushions in weatherproof fabric. Available as a two-seater, three-seater or modular configuration.
What is the Novetrenta armchair?
Novetrenta is Vico Magistretti's 1966 armchair reinterpreted for outdoor use by Cassina. The structure is solid iroko wood; the seat is woven in polypropylene rope referencing the original straw weave, or offered in a padded outdoor version.
Is Cassina available in the US?
Yes. Collections reach the US market through authorised dealers, with lead times that vary by line and finish. Cassina operates direct stores in New York and several European cities.
What materials does Cassina use outdoors?
Outdoor collections use powder-coated aluminium, solid iroko wood, polypropylene rope, synthetic woven fibre and weatherproof upholstery fabrics. Tabletops in the Vidalenta range are offered in Roman travertine, enamelled glass or iroko.
What is the Cassina I Contemporanei collection?
I Contemporanei is the side of the catalogue dedicated to new commissions from living designers, as distinct from the I Maestri reissues. It includes work by Urquiola, Bellini, Citterio, Dordoni and others.
How should I care for Cassina iroko furniture?
Iroko is a durable hardwood that weathers gradually outdoors. Follow the maker's collection-specific guidance; Cassina recommends periodic treatment to maintain the natural tone. Powder-coated aluminium frames require only wiping down with a damp cloth.
Can I buy from this site?
No. Premium Furniture is an independent editorial directory. We document the house and point you to the maker.