Knoll (Florence)

Florence Knoll has many creations to her credit, but they all have one thing in common: a minimalist, uncluttered design in neutral tones (black, beige, brown) that make vintage furniture suitable for any interior. Her most famous creations bear her name: Florence Knoll chair, Florence Knoll sofa, Florence Knoll armchair. Florence Schust was born on May 24, 1917 in Saginaw, Michigan. After brilliant studies at the Architectural Association of London, she continued her training at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, under the renowned Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. She also worked for Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer in Boston, contributing to their furniture designs. In 1941, she met her future husband, Hans Knoll, then head of Knoll International, and joined forces in a new company called Knoll Associates. She took on the role of designer, before taking over the management of the company in 1955, on the death of her husband. Numerous designers worked for Knoll at different times, including Jens Risom, Eero Saarinen, Pierre Jeanneret, Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi, enabling the company to market furniture pieces that would become classic icons of 20th-century design.Read More