Flos is one of the most famous and commercially successful family design brands in Italy. It was founded in Merano in 1962 by Cesare Cassina, Dino Gavina and Arturo Eiseinkeil. It devoted itself to commercializing the sprayed plastic Cocoon imported from the United States at that time. Later, it established cooperative relations with many famous designers and launched a series of lighting products, including Castiglioni brothers. In 1962, Castiglioni released a new series of lamps, including the classic Arco floor lamp, which is still in production.
Arco floor lamp
In 1964, the company moved to Brescia, where Sergio Gandini was in charge. In 1999, his son Piero succeeded him. Today, the company’s sales have reached 150 million euros (about 1.194 billion yuan).
The company successfully launched a series of products, including Jasper Morrison’s Glo-Ball glass lamp, Philippe Starck’s Miss Sissi plastic table lamp, and Sebastian Wrong’s Spun table lamp and floor lamp.
Glo-Ball glass lamp by Jasper Morrison
Miss Sissi plastic desk lamp by Philippe Starck
Piero Gandini, president of Flos, has reached an agreement with Investindustrial, an investment institution led by Milan financier Andrea Bonomi, to transfer 80% of the equity to the other party at a price of about 400 million euros (about 3.183 billion yuan), and the two sides have just issued a joint statement on this. Gandini himself will stay in the company. Investindustrial will help Flos expand its existing business through natural growth and selective mergers and acquisitions, and expand globally.