The modern and contemporary furnishing industry of Italy represents a unique paradigm, on account of its industrial design production created by the most important international architects and designers of the 20th and 21st centuries. While reams have been written about Italian architects and designers, until now no volume has ever been dedicated to those who contributed to the success of these designers. Backstage takes a behind-the-scenes look at the entrepreneurs who deftly invented the most important phenomenon of modern and contemporary furnishing: those who risked and invested in innovative products that have became icons of design, and those who believed in a new form of elegance. In a detailed historical analysis from the fifties to today, Stefano Casciani follows the career paths of the movers and shakers of the design world. The protagonists are also depicted in striking black-and-white portraits by the Norwegian photographer Tom Sandberg.These portraits of entrepreneurs such as Bruno Danese, Giulio Cappellini and Patrizia Moroso, tell of the individual and collective experience of constructing the image of Italian design worldwide. From the Luisa chair by Poggi to the Thinking Man's chair by Cappellini, from the Tizio lamp by Artemide to the Glo-ball by Flos, the text discusses the past and present of the various entrepreneurial histories and the development of the culture of Italian design. Finally, bio-bibliographical apparatuses complete the volume and enhance its usefulness as a reference book on design.