About Giovanni Pellone Giovanni Pellone is an industrial designer and graphic designer with over fifteen years of experience in the design of home accessories and furniture, and in the development of branding and visual communication programs. Giovanni grew up in Rome, Italy, where he studied industrial technology and economics. After moving to New York in 1988 he attended Parsons School of Design (Interior Design), and Pratt Institute (Industrial Design), where he studied under Karim Rashid, Bruce Hannah and Bill Fogler. He graduated with highest honors from Pratt Institute in 1993. While running a design studio in New York with graphic designer Bridget Means, he cofounded in 1996 the design-driven manufacturer Benza, of which he was chief designer and creative director for the following nine years. At Benza he collaborated with prominent US designers such as his former teachers Karim Rashid and Bruce Hannah, as well as Harry Allen, Jeffrey Bernett, Ayse Birsel, Constantin Boym, Stephen Burks, Jason Miller, and Tucker Viemeister. Benza’s designs appeared in exhibitions at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, and Denver Art Museum; and sold in select stores such as the MoMA Design Store in New York, Harrods in London, and Tobu Department Store in Tokyo. Giovanni's work has earned worldwide recognition and awards. It has been featured in prestigious exhibitions such as “Workspheres” (2001, New York, Museum of Modern Art) and “Ten Avant Garde Designers” (2002, Milan Salone del Mobile, Surface magazine with Romeo Gigli). For over ten years it has regularly appeared in the world’s most respected design publications, among them Abitare, Domus, Interni and Wallpaper. Giovanni has lectured on design at renown universities including Pratt Institute, and Tokyo University. Until 2010 he collaborated with Japanese graphic designer Makiko Takeuchi, providing graphic design and product design services to clients in the United States, Italy and Japan. He currently works independently, spending most of his time between Rome, New York and Tokyo.