The publishing house Feltrinelli was founded in Milan towards the end of 1954 by Giangiacomo Feltrinelli who, in 1949, had set up the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Library dedicated to the study of contemporary history and social movements.
The publishing house took over what was left of the Coli (Cooperativa del Libro Popolare, Cooperative of the popular book 1949-1954), and, in particular, one of its most prestigious publications, the series "Universale Economica".
At first, the head office was at N.15 Via Fatebenefratelli, but by 1957 the editorial staff had moved to the present offices at N. 6 Via Andegari, the building here represented. The editors Luigi Diemoz, Gian Piero Brega, Valerio Riva, Luciano Bianciardi, the editorial secretary Renata Cambiaghi and the graphic artist Albe Steiner all collaborated with the publisher. Another editorial office was later opened in Rome, under the guidance of Giorgio Bassani.
The first two volumes, Nehru's Autobiografia and Il flagello della svastica by Lord Russell, Liverpool, appeared 18^th June, 1955.

In 1961 the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Institute, together with the library, moved from N. 35 Via Scarlatti where it had been founded in 1957 to the same building in Via Andegari, but with its own entrance from N.3 via Romagnosi.