The Italian Design Group Named After a Bob Dylan Song Who Created the Iconic Look of the 1980s

In a very colorful essay for Vox, video editor Dion Lee tells the story of the Memphis Group, the extremely eclectic and talented design collective who derived their name from a Bob Dylan song, despite being based in Milan, Italy where they created the iconic vibrant mark that they left on the 1980s.

The Memphis Group dominated the design world in the ‘80s. The collective led by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass came together in 1981. …They had a huge impact on the postmodern designs of the decade.The life of the Memphis Group was short lived, 6 years to be exact. And even though their designs failed to serve a function in people’s homes…they left a colorful mark in history and inspired many designers to come.