Design Club is an Italian research archive and curatorial platform with a dedicated community of collectors and design professionals—connecting members and granting access to rare, museum-grade pieces selected by the Club.
We curate 20th-century icons and contemporary originals, from historical editions and prototypes to unique pieces and artworks, chosen for formal excellence, provenance and narrative depth.
Design Club was founded in Ravenna in 1968 by Raffaello Biagetti (1940–2008), a visionary figure in the Italian cultural scene. Born in Santarcangelo di Romagna, Biagetti combined artistic sensibility and research with a rare ability to connect people and ideas.
After an early period devoted to painting, he moved into the world of Italian design, engaging with designers, architects, critics, students, and artisans to build a shared space for exchange. These connections fostered a culture of dialogue across generations and disciplines—an editorial and curatorial foundation that continues to shape Design Club’s approach today.
In 1988, Biagetti founded the Museo dell’Arredo Contemporaneo and the “Museo del Design 1880–1980” collection, curated by Giovanni Klaus Koenig, Filippo Alison and Giuseppe Chigiotti.
With contributions from Dino Gavina, Alessandro Guerriero and Gae Aulenti, the museum expanded in the early 1990s with an entrance pavilion by Ettore Sottsass and Johanna Grawunder.
In 1995, Futurarium launched—an experimental atelier led by Guerriero and Alberto Biagetti—connecting international designers and students, with guests including Gaetano Pesce, Ron Arad and the Sottsass studio.
Today, Design Club champions design culture by sourcing, curating and placing collectible design—supporting its community of collectors and design professionals with bespoke guidance and access to rare, museum-grade works.
