Massimo Vignelli was born in Milan in 1931 and studied in his early years to become an architecht. During the 1950s Vignelli worked for the Swiss graphic designer Max Huber. In 1957 he married future companion and architect, Lella. Together they have worked with clients such as Pirelli, Rank Xerox, Olivetti and more.

In 1965 the couple emigrated to the United States and founded the design bureau Unimark along with colleagues Bob Noorda and Jay Doblin. Among other projects they designed the graphical profile of the New York City Subway, still in use to this day.

In the end of the 1960s Vignelli founded Vignelli Associates and later on Vignelli Design. Here he worked with clients such as American Airlines, Ford, Xerox, Lancia, Bloomingdales and the International Design Centre of New York.

Presently, Vignelli continues to work as a designer from Vignelli Associates' New York office.