Bibendum Chair Style - DC45

The striking design provides a dramatic focal point for any room, not to mention a seat your guests will fight to sit in. Hard to believe the Bibendum Chair was largely forgotten until 1972, when one of Gray’s original creations surfaced at an auction and reminded modern design experts around the world of this lost masterpiece.

The chair was a departure for Gray, who abandoned the more classic design she had been known for, for the type of tubular steel construction used by Bauhaus designers like Marcel Breuer. The chair was relatively large – as one would expect the giant, rubber Michelin Man to be – at approximately 840mm deep and 740mm tall. The legs were made of a polished, chromium plated stainless steel tube, the framing of the actual seat of beechwood, and rubber webbing was woven across the seat base for added comfort. The result was one of the 20th Century’s most iconic pieces of furniture.

Experts disagree on just when the Bibendum first came on the scene. Some say Gray designed it for her famous E-1027 house over looking the Mediterranean in around 1924. Others claim she created the Bibendum around 1920 as part of a job designing an apartment for a wealthy Parisian milliner. But exactly where Bibendum came from is far less important than the lucky fact that it’s back to stay, providing a place to sit – as well as a hug — for design aficionados everywhere.