Martinelli Luce

History

Martinelli Luce, the beginning

Martinelli Luce was founded in the 1950s, but its history actually began even earlier. In the 1940s, Plinio, Elio Martinelli’s father, the company's founder, had an electrical equipment shop in Lucca, but Elio had embarked on studies in set design: his sights were already set elsewhere.
Following Plinio's untimely death, Elio had to choose between taking over the shop and continuing his career as a set designer. Meanwhile, he began working as an interior designer and cultivated a design vision that made form, function, and light key components. For this reason, he decided pursue his on his path as a “designer”. Located in the basement beneath the shop in Lucca's old center, the "laboratory," as Elio called it, developed into a true hive of creativity. It was there, driven by a clear vision and a desire for creative independence, that he began designing lamps, developing his own aesthetic: geometric, essential forms inspired by nature and functionality.

The company then moved from the workshop to new premises outside the city, gradually becoming into a hub for technical experimentation, where it adopted innovative materials such as methacrylate and tested new manufacturing methods.
This is another feature that strongly distinguishes Martinelli Luce, in addition to its ability to maintain its decorative and architectural identity intact over time.
Many inspirations and ideas result in a product line that is distinguished by high functional performance, simple yet evocative shapes and innovative use of materials. It was precisely these features that attracted the attention of architect Giò Ponti, who persuaded Elio Martinelli to take part in Eurodomus in 1966, marking Martinelli Luce's formal debut in the Italian design world.

Today, more than 70 years after it was founded, Martinelli Luce is led by Emiliana Martinelli and her son Marco and still pursuing its original vision: combining simplicity, rigour and creativity to design lighting.
A journey driven by passion and intuition, which has benefited from collaborations with both established and emerging designers over time, turning a small family business into a globally recognized brand for its contribution to contemporary design.