Gianfranco Frattini was an Italian architect and designer. He was one of those who initiated the Italian design movement in the late 1950s and 1960s, and his designs are in the permanent collections of the world's most important museums of design and decorative arts, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. He is also the winner of two awards at the Milan Triennale, the Medaglie and the Gran Premio, and is remembered as a key figure in Italian design.
After graduating from Politecnico di Milano in 1953 with a degree in architecture, Frattini went on to study and work in the architectural office run by Gio Ponti, the godfather of Italian design. This was a key decision that led to a deep collaboration between him and the founder of Cassina, the Italian national furniture brand, who was a very important figure in Frattini's career. He then opened his own design studio in Milan and collaborated with renowned furniture manufacturers Bernini and Progetti, and lighting manufacturers Arteluce and Artemide respectively. In addition to furniture design, Frattini has been commissioned to lead the interior design of important commercial projects such as the Stork Club, the St Andrews restaurant and the Hilton Hotel in Tokyo.