In her early days, she was brought into the Saarinen family and explored design at Cranbrook Academy under incredible figures, such as Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Thanks to the mentorship of the leading architects of her time, Knoll's architectural background is integral to her structural yet beautiful pieces, which she designed to serve the space they are brought into. Her endless contributions to women in the workplace, modern product design, and the scope of interior design have changed the industry for all.