Born in Milan in 1918, Achille Castiglioni trained at the Polytechnic of Milan. In 1944 he set up his own Como-based design office with his brothers, Livio, who left the partnership in 1952, and Pier Giacomo. Achille continued to pursue an active career right up until his death at the age of 95 in February 2003. Zeev Aram held an exhibition of Achille’s designs from his personal collection in tribute to his close friend and collaborator. Aram Store stocks many of Castiglioni’s designs, including perhaps his most iconic, the Arco Lamp.

Flos was founded in 1962 in Merano, to produce modern lighting. To develop new lighting concepts, they enlisted the aid of Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and Tobia Scarpa. One of the first materials they experimented with was cocoon, a very pliable material made in the USA. In 1964 Sergio Gandini joined the company, and the headquarters were moved to a new site near Brescia. The first Flos retail store, designed by the Castiglioni brothers opened in Milan in 1968. In 1971 Flos opened its first subsidiary in Germany. In 1974 it purchased Arteluce, a historical brand founded in 1939 by Gino Sarfatti, and opened a new factory in Bovezzo, just outside the city of Brescia. The collaboration with Achille Castiglioni continued through the '80s, and in 1992 he introduced the "family of products" concept to the market with the Brera series. At the same time, Flos continued to scout for emerging talent at an international level, collaborating with Philippe Starck in 1988.