De Padova

Heritage

De Padova began in the 1950s, when Fernando and Maddalena De Padova started importing Scandinavian furniture and objects and selling them from their store on via Montenapoleone in Milan — the debut of Northern European design in Italy. In the 1960s, after discovering Charles Eames's Wire Chair on a trip to Basel, Maddalena obtained a licence from Herman Miller to manufacture designs by Charles Eames and George Nelson in Italy, founded ICF De Padova with headquarters in Vimodrone, and opened the large showroom on corso Venezia. After Fernando's death in the 1970s she ran the company herself.

Philosophy

In the 1980s De Padova ceded the ICF brand and the Herman Miller licence and launched furniture and objects under its own name through Edizioni De Padova, later "è De Padova". The company describes its approach as a vision of Made in Italy design founded on uncompromising quality, aesthetic research and timeless functionality, with designers working closely with the house over decades.

Iconic Works

Vico Magistretti began his long collaboration with the company in the 1970s and became its defining designer, with pieces such as the Louisiana lounge chair (1993) and the Raffles sofa. Achille Castiglioni and Dieter Rams also designed for the house, and Patricia Urquiola and Nendo joined the designer team in the 2000s. In 2026 the D'Antan armchair by Raffaella Mangiarotti received the Compasso d'Oro; Maddalena De Padova herself had received a Compasso d'Oro for her career in the 2000s.

Today

In 2015 De Padova began a new journey with Boffi, and at the beginning of 2026 Boffi, De Padova and ADL merged into a single company, Boffi|DePadova S.p.A., which also includes MA/U Studio and Time & Style ēdition. Headquarters are in the renewed former I.C.F. factory in Vimodrone, near Milan, and the group counts 24 directly managed and 50 indirectly managed Boffi|DePadova spaces worldwide.