11. 1967, Logotype. The substance of their talk is a career retrospective similar to the content of their book Design Is One (see review in Eye no. American Airlines by Heinz Waibl, Massimo Vignelli. 3. 1970: NYC Subway The iconic signage for the New York City Subway system was also designed by Massimo Vignelli … In collaboration with his wife Lella, the Italian designer established now-familiar corporate identities for companies such as American Airlines… Milan-born Massimo Vignelli is … News: Massimo Vignelli – the prolific Modernist designer who created New York's subway signage and the American Airlines identity – has died in New York. Bloomingdale's, New York, 1972 . The one-word AmericanAirlines logo, half red and half blue, in plain type, stresses the professionalism, "no gimmicks" attitude of the company in the national colors. Massimo Vignelli American Airlines, Bloomingdales American Airlines, 1967 . Soon it became the largest firm in the world for its expansion into an array of domains and covering variety of lifestyles. Massimo Vignelli’s 1967 redesign, shown here, was initially simply two As in the Helvetica typeface, one red and one blue. Massimo Vignelli shaped the visual landscape of mid-century America and created designs that we continue to encounter to this day. Massimo Vignelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmassimo viɲˈɲɛlli]; January 10, 1931 – May 27, 2014) was an Italian designer who worked in a number of areas ranging from package design through houseware design and furniture design to public signage and showroom design.He was the co-founder of Vignelli Associates, with his wife, Lella. The airline insisted on the inclusion of the eagle, which had become a central part of the company’s identity; pilots even threatened to strike over the issue. But American's design language was far more consistent than its rival. Once one of the largest international design firm, its roster of clients included American Airlines, New York Transit Authority, and Ford Motor Company. 54 vol. During his time at Unimark International Massimo Vignelli helped develop the branding for American Airlines, this project became one of the most iconic examples of Vignelli’s work and great design; and it was with this project that Vignelli said he helped make America a Helvetica country. 1967: American Airlines Massimo designed the classic American Airlines Logo with red and blue strips giving a sense of patriotism. The firm takes pride in establishing some of the notable and prestigious corporate identities, including that of American Airlines was founded the same year as Continental, in 1934. He founded the now-closed Unimark International. The logo portrays the liveliness and diversity of the department store. Unimark was appointed to design American Airline’s corporate identity by Henry Dreyfuss, a famous industrial designer who was hired to develop the interior of the planes. The logo endured for over 40 years. Vignelli formed two highly successful design companies.