Memphis Milano was never meant to blend in. Founded in 1981 under the direction of Ettore Sottsass, the movement rejected the restraint of modernism in favour of colour, pattern, and contradiction.

Among its voices was George J. Sowden, a British designer whose work balanced clarity with subtle disruption—objects that feel composed at first glance, then slightly off on second.

The pieces presented here were sourced from a private sale: two by Sowden, alongside a miniature version of Sottsass’s Carlton bookcase. Each carries the spirit of Memphis in a different register—playful, precise, and quietly radical.