Francesco Milani, founder of Milani Design & Consulting, passed away in early January 2026. With him, we have lost not only the founder of our agency, but a designer who profoundly influenced Swiss and international industrial design over many decades.
Known to many by his affectionate nickname “Cecco,” Francesco Milani was a designer with a clear sense of purpose and conviction. His thinking was defined by precision, curiosity, and a deep understanding of form, function, and context. For him, design was never an end in itself, but a strategic tool for translating complex requirements into clear, user-centered solutions.
In 1963, Francesco Milani founded his studio for industrial design and visual communication in Guibiasco, in the canton of Ticino. From the very beginning, he pursued an approach that continues to define Milani today: developing products that are user-centered, strategically considered, and designed with precision. Especially in medical technology, his work led to pioneering solutions that combined functionality, safety, and usability.
His influence extended far beyond the agency. Francesco Milani belonged to a generation of designers who played a decisive role in shaping industrial design in Switzerland and bringing it to international attention. His work received widespread recognition and became part of Switzerland’s design heritage.
Many of his works are now archived in the collection of the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich. The Swiss Federal Office of Culture recognized his oeuvre as an important contribution to Switzerland’s cultural heritage and assumed responsibility for his complete archive. In this way, his design thinking remains accessible to future generations.
Many of us had the opportunity to know Francesco Milani personally and to learn from him. His openness in dialogue, his curiosity, and his unwavering standards shaped not only projects, but also many designers. His approach continues to live on in our daily work.
Tributes and Obituaries
