Coppola graduated from Milan Polytechnic and began his career as an architect, like many other Italian designers. In 1955, he worked with the European Development Fund and was responsible for four residential complexes for students in Zaire. Between 1956–58, he designed department stores and offices in Baghdad, and residential houses in several Italian towns. In 1960 he started to be involved in industrial design, making a name for himself with his innovative designs for motor vehicle bodywork, made of fibre glass. He also worked for Berni, Alessi, Artemide and Cassina; many of his designs still feature in their collections. As a freelance designer and consultant, Coppola worked for major Italian and European firms like Bayer Italia, Monteshell, Montecatini Edison and Cotonifici Cantoni. In 1967 he formed a group to explore exhibition design with Bruno Munari, Franco Grignani, Pino Tovaglia and Giulio Convalieri. His work is in the permanent collection of the NY MoMA.