Gastone Rinaldi was born in 1920 in Padua, Italy. In 1948, he took over the family business RIMA alongside his brother Giorgio, specialising in metal furniture production. During the 1950s, he collaborated with leading figures of Italian design, including Gio Ponti, Marco Zanuso and Carlo Mollino. In 1954, he was awarded the Compasso d’Oro for his DU30 chair.

In 1974, Rinaldi established Thema, further pursuing his exploration of materials, forms and industrial manufacturing techniques. He remained active in the design field until his death in Padua in 2006.