Fede Cheti

Fede Cheti (1905–1978) was one of the key figures in the history of carpet and textile design. Born in Savona and later moving to Milan with her mother, it was in the Lombard capital that she achieved significant success beginning in the 1930s with her floor rugs made of wool, cotton, linen, or hemp. Over the years, these were joined by highly successful furnishing fabrics and floral wallpapers. Her work was presented at several editions of the Triennale, from the 1930s through the 1950s, and displayed a wide range of styles, adapting to the tastes and fashions of the time. She remains particularly associated with floral patterns, which brought her considerable acclaim. In 1936, she founded her own carpet and weaving company in Milan at Via Manzoni 23, which in the immediate postwar period grew to employ more than 150 people, establishing itself as a major presence on the national scene. Although all Fede Cheti creations were marketed under her name, many were in fact based on designs produced for the company by leading artists. Among them were Gio Ponti—who also shared a close personal relationship with Cheti—the French painter Raoul Dufy, and the illustrator René Gruau, the only one to retain his signature on the carpet collections he designed. The peak of Fede Cheti’s success came in 1950, when she was the subject of a solo exhibition organized by the Sanderson department stores in London to celebrate their centenary. Today, some of the most beautiful rugs she designed are once again being produced by the brand Amini.