Running from 16 to 24 September, London Design Festival is finally upon us, annually celebrating our city as the design capital of the world. To mark the occasion, we’re paying homage to three iconic chairs to have shaped tastes and spaces since their introduction to homes over the last 50 years, as well as hosting a special exhibition in collaboration with Kingston University. We, for one, can’t wait.
Timeless chairs
The chairs are the Togo by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, the iconic Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, which turns 65, and the Forum armchair by Robin Day and relaunched by Case this year, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024.
Instantly recognisable by its distinctive shape, the Togo has remained a cult classic, characterised by modular pieces with crumpled pleats. Ducaroy expertly designed the settee with five different densities of foam while upholstering them in durable Alcantara fabric with a suede-like texture that exudes luxury.
When Arne Jacobsen designed the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in the 1950s, he also created the Egg, now a symbol of cutting-edge Danish design. The design was the first to use a strong foam inner-shell underneath the upholstery and remains as futuristic-looking today as it was back when it was first conceived.
Originally designed by Robin Day in 1964, the Forum is an icon of Mid-Century design, now revitalised through modern production and materials. Case has worked in close partnership with the Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation to sympathetically reinstate the chair featuring a hardwood frame with beautiful finger joint detail supported by chrome plated legs mounted to the outside of the frame. Day purposefully exposed these elements to showcase the beauty of its form.
Shop all three chairs in-store or online to invest in true icons. Better still, Heal’s is offering £150 for every £1,000 spent on these collections. It’s simple: the more you spend, the more you’ll receive on a pre-loaded gift card, which you can choose to use as you wish.
Kingston University
Heal’s has collaborated with third-year students from Kingston University’s Furniture and Product Design Course. The design process and story behind 10 pieces from Kingston University’s show at New Designers will be exhibited at London Design Festival at Heal’s newly extended flagship store on Tottenham Court Road. Excitingly, three designs have been shortlisted to potentially be put into production: Apperture by Sumayyah Zahir puts a spin on the traditional sideboard with storage open rather than concealed; nesting side tables Cut From One by Josephine Ryan Gill produce no offcuts during their manufacture; and Crush Shelving from Jack Allfrey is comprised of crushed form steel uprights and box plywood shelves.
Vote for your favourite designer and visit Heal’s on Tottenham Court Road to shop the chairs and enjoy the exhibition.