Mid-Century Girolle Armchair
1969
The Vestige · One piece onlySold
- Insured white-glove delivery worldwide
- Certificate of authenticity
- A dedicated advisor, in the showroom or by video
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The label
- Designer
- Jean-Pierre Laporte
- Period
- 1969
- Dimensions
- W 80 × D 75 × H 73 cmW 31.5 × D 29.5 × H 28.7 in
- Reference
- VST-11212409864533
The story
Of this rare and unique armchair design—the Girolle—the designer Jean-Pierre Laporte said, “I discover all the qualities of polyester to exploit its flexibility, its nervousness, its ability to recover its memory shape. All this generates in me a creativity of forms to infinity. Sculpture enters the world of furniture. "
At the time he unveiled this design, the idea of using newfangled materials like polyester was only just entering into the collective consciousness of furniture designers on the edge of innovation; Laporte was one of the first to fully embrace the material, in fact not using it to merely replace wood or metal, but celebrating its properties in designs that pushed the limits of the possible, like this mid-century modern armchair.
Laporte was hired by renowned German designer Thonet in the mid-1960’s and honed his craft under the artistic eye of Pierre Paulin. Half a decade later, the Girolle armchair was born, finding an immediate place in design history. It eventually even became one of the armchairs at Paris’ Centre Pompidou.
Today, it’s not hard to see what made this chair so exalted in its time. In fact, its powers to arrest one’s attention and spark a desire to deeply explore its erotic, curving lines have not dimmed in the slightest. The pure white base is a sensual, sculptural masterpiece, while the soft red fabric offers a warm invitation to curl up atop it. Lest the unique design seem more decorative than functional, note that Laporte created the piece for optimal sitting comfort.
Truly a museum quality piece, the Girolle armchair is in excellent vintage condition.
About Jean-Pierre Laporte
Jean-Pierre Laporte is a French designer who produced a distinctive body of furniture in the 1960s and 1970s, often edited under his own name. His seating and tables, such as the Esox chair, use moulded plastics, fibreglass and bold colours in fluid, pop inflected forms. His work has been the subject of a monograph covering ten years of creation. Collectors look for original pieces in good surface condition.
Delivery
Every piece is packed and shipped under insurance, from the workshop to you. White glove delivery (unpacking, installation, packaging removal) is available on request. Delivery is not charged at checkout: we send you a quote within 24 business hours of your order. You have 5 days to accept and pay it (secure payment link or bank transfer), otherwise your order is cancelled and fully refunded.
Certificate of authenticity.
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