Compasso d'Oro in the context of Olivetti

Marcello Nizzoli (Italian pronunciation: [marˈtʃɛllo nitˈtsɔli]; 1887 – 1969) was an Italian artist, architect, industrial and graphic designer. He was the chief designer for Olivetti for many years and was responsible notably for the iconic Lettera 22 portable typewriters in 1950.

The Olivetti Lettera 22 [oliˈvetti ˈlɛttera ˌventiˈduːe] is a portable mechanical typewriter designed by Marcello Nizzoli in 1949 or, according to the company's current owner Telecom Italia, 1950. This typewriter was very popular in Italy, receiving the Compasso d'Oro prize in 1954. In 1959 the Illinois Institute of Technology chose the Lettera 22 as the best designed product of the last 100 years.

The typewriter is about 27x37x8 cm (with the carriage return lever adding another 1–2 centimeters in height), making it quite portable for the time's standards, even though its 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) weight may somewhat limit portability.

Mario Bellini (born 1 February 1935) is an Italian architect and designer. After graduating from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1959, he pursued a career in architecture, exhibition design, product design, and furniture design during the Italian economic boom in the late 20th century. He has worked with companies such as B&B Italia, Brionvega, Cassina, Heller, Flou, Yamaha, Olivetti, Renault, Rosenthal, Tecno, Riva 1920, Vitra, and Kartell.

In a career spanning nearly 70 years, Bellini has received many honours, including eight Compasso d'Oro awards and the Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement from the Triennale di Milano. In 2019, the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Roberto Fico, awarded him a career medal in recognition of his contributions to Italian architecture and design.

Associazione per il Disegno Industriale 'Industrial Design Association' (ADI), is an Italian professional organisation of about 1,100 architects, designers, manufacturers, trade journalists, academics, and design universities. Its primary purpose is the promotion of good design in Italy and abroad. The ADI is responsible for the administration of the Compasso d'Oro design awards and an associated museum.

La Rinascente (Italian for '"she who is reborn"'; pronounced [la rinaʃˈʃɛnte]) is a high-end Italian department store chain. Founded in Milan in 1865, it adopted its current name in 1917, coined by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. In 1954, the company launched the Compasso d'Oro, an Italian industrial design award later managed by the ADI. In 2016, its Milan store at Piazza del Duomo was named "Best Department Store in the World" by the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores (IGDS).

The chain operates nine stores in Italy, including two flagship locations in Milan (Piazza del Duomo) and Rome (Via del Tritone).