Michele De Lucchi (1951) was born in Ferrara, Italy. During the 1980s he began designing lamps and furnishing elements for the most prominent Italian and European companies. He turned architecture into an integrated system, by using a global and transversal design approach. He designs objects and small furniture under the Produzione Privata brand and produces them with specialized craftspeople. He designed the MDL, Secretello and Hatch systems for Unifor.

After graduating in architecture in Florence, during the 1980s he consolidated his working relationship with Olivetti, which started in 1979. This happened when Sottsass, entrusted him with the design of the office furnishing systems for the Synthesis division. In 1987 his design for the Tolomeo table lamp was released and won De Lucchi the first Compasso d'Oro ADI. He won a second for his Olivetti Artjet 10 printer. Recently he developed a number of architectural projects for private and public customers and oversees the design of important exhibitions.