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For Individual Comfort
New chairs at Milan Design Week

The Salone del Mobile Milano is the essence of Milan Design week, the place for the latest innovations and concepts within the furnishing and design sector. Now reaching its 57th year, the fair has evolved to become more diversified with things like furnishing related computing software and digital design. But let’s focus on something more tangible and related to us as consumers, and take a look at some of the best chairs on offer.

 

Vitra Panton Chrome and Panton Glow

Vitra Panton was first presented to the public at the Cologne Furniture Fair in Cologne in 1968, after several years of joint development between Verner Panton and Vitra. Being the first cantilever chair manufactured in one piece and entirely in plastic, it quickly became a symbol of the 1960s and 1970s. 50 years after its launch, in front of us are the limited editions Vitra Panton Chrome with mesmeric mirrored effect on its surface and the glow in the dark Panton Glow. While Verner Panton considered the idea back in the 1970s, thinking the dynamic curves would suited perfectly for a reflective coating, it is only with today’s technology that such a concept could be turned to reality without sacrificing the product’s durability. The mirrored effect of Panton Chrome is the result of embedding metal particles in multiple layers of varnish, forming a surface that is equally shiny and scratch-resistant. For Panton Glow, the chair features fluorescent pigments and glossy layers of coating that allow it to absorb light during the day and shine at night.

 

Herman Miller Cosm by Studio 7.5

Herman Miller is one of the go-to brands for comfortable office chairs. At Milan Design Week the brand hosted the “For You Everyone” exhibition, which also served as the global launch of Cosm, the new seating line designed by Studio 7.5 from Berlin. This is not the first time Studio 7.5 has worked with the furniture maker, with previous collaborations including Mirra Chair, Setu and Mirra 2. Carola Zwick from the Berlin studio says they “define not only how the chair looks but how it performs” and Cosm is so comfortable that people might forget they are sitting in a chair at all. There is no doubt that like other seating lines from Herman Miller, Cosm is ergonomically designed to support different body types and postures. it will be available mid-summer this year in several colours and three back heights.

 

Knoll Newson Aluminium Chair

Honouring the cantilevered chairs of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll and Marc Newson revisited the brand’s archives and launched the Newson Aluminium Chair. The design is a reflection of Newson’s fascination of the space age and his belief of looking to the future and pushing technology forward. Newson played around with forms and materials and came up with a result that marries hard and soft and solid and transparent. The mesh seat and back integrate seamlessly with the aluminium frame for a streamlined look. The chair is available in arm and armless versions. Three frame colours are available, black, warm white and grey and there are six colour options for the mesh.

 

Kartell Woody Collection by Philippe Starck

For general design furniture enthusiasts, perhaps the transparent acrylic Ghost chair collection is almost a synonym for the contemporary Kartell product line, though most more recognisable Kartell products are made in plastic also. The latest limited collection may not immediately change the perception, but at least it shows the world the possibility and diversity behind the brand. Simply named Woody, the collection designed by Philippe Starck pairs plastic with wood thanks to a special patent that extend the limit of curvature of the wooden panel. The Woody collection consists of three designs. The body of the chair is either crafted in ash or rosewood and it is paired with a plastic seat and plastic legs. Depending on models, upholstery and leather seat are also available as well as a footrest in matching style.

 

Plank CUP by Konstantin Grcic

German designer Konstantin Grcic has developed another project with long term collaborator Plank. The new chair CUP is inspired by plastic hard shelled luggage that is extremely light and flexible but strong at the same time, not to mention the good looks. The designer found the thin vacuum-formed plastic sheets on luggage a potential option for furniture material, and translated it into a geometry for the black or white shell, supported on a chrome or black powder coated metal structure. A range of textiles and colours are available for the upholstery. The final result is not just modern but also elegant and has an appearance that works well with both the office and home.

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