Knoll is an American brand with European headquarters in Italy. The company was founded in 1938 by Hans G. Knoll, a German immigrant to the U.S., and son of one of Germany’s pioneer manufacturers of modern furniture. During World War II, Hans Knoll hired the young space planner and designer Florence Schust, who had a degree from the Cranbrook Academy in Michigan and from the Architectural Association in London. Hans and Florence were married in 1946, and they formed Knoll Associates. Florence played a critical role in the development and direction of the company. The two of them searched for and nurtured talented designers. They believed strongly that designers should be credited by name and paid royalties for their work, a tradition which continues at Knoll today.
The Knoll mantra is “no compromise ever.” This is a very appropriate strapline for a furniture collection typified by exacting, precise designs, many of which have become modern classics. The Knoll collection includes timeless statement pieces such as the Barcelona chair by Mies van Der Rohe, the incredibly elegant Florence Knoll sofas and armchairs, and the curvaceous, sculptural designs of Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen, to name just a few. Knoll also keep adding striking new designs to their collection, such as the Generation office chair by Formway and the Barber & Osgerby sofa collection.
We pride ourselves on our knowledge of the Knoll collection, having visited the factory and the company’s headquarters and having been among the main stockists for Knoll since 2004.
