Rare and Unusual Set of Philippe Starck Aleph Tessa Nature Chairs for Driade

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About the Item

Born in 1949 in Paris Philippe Starck has gone on to become a 20th century design icon and has arguably been the most prolific furniture and product designer in the World over the last 30 years. Having started by setting up his own studio in Paris in 1968 he has gone on to work with many major design houses and has produced a diverse range of designs encompassing furniture, lighting, home accessories and electronics. His golden years however started in the mid 80’s. After starting his new company Starck Product (later renamed Ubik) he began designing for night clubs, hotels, restaurants and elite private residence’s such the private apartments of the Élysée Palace for François Mitterrand in 1983. From there he worked consistently throughout the next 2 decades pioneering new forms of manufacturing and materials, as well as host of new design styles. His designs are always interesting and challenging and many carry an organic theme with, in addition, repeated forms that are instantly recognisable. This set of chairs are not only unusual but very rare, having been designed in the earlier part of his career in 1989, and are indicative of his design style but also echo many Mid-Century designs of the 1950s and 1960s. The ‘cow or bull Horn’ seat back we’ve seen in a number of Classic Mid-century designs, most notably by Hans Wegner - but the chairs also utilise the same hand woven paper cord/rush seating used in Scandinavian and Eastern European seating since before the turn of the last century. Compact in size, cute but also a little odd in concept and design they are not only curious but strangely compelling; in fact, just like the man himself! Offered in good overall condition there are some marks to the ends of each seat back and the tops of each chair leg but nothing major, and nothing at all that detracts from their appeal.

Creator:
Philippe Starck (Designer),Driade (Manufacturer)
Dimensions:
Height: 29.53 in (75 cm)Width: 14.57 in (37 cm)Depth: 19.69 in (50 cm)Seat Height: 17.72 in (45 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 6
Style:
International Style (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Cherry,Papercord
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1980-1989
Date of Manufacture:
1989
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Newbury, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: PS chairs 11stDibs: LU283538528393

Shop All Philippe Starck

Philippe Starck

A ubiquitous name in the world of contemporary architecture and design, Philippe Starck has created everything from hotel interiors and luxury yachts to toothbrushes and teakettles. Yet for every project in his diverse portfolio, Starck has maintained an instantly recognizable signature style: a look that is dynamic, sleek, fluid and witty.

The son of an aircraft engineer, Starck studied interior design at the École Nissim de Camondo in Paris. He started his design career in the 1970s decorating nightclubs in the city, and his reputation for spirited and original interiors earned him a commission in 1983 from French president François Mitterrand to design the private apartments of the Élysée Palace. Starck made his name internationally in 1988 with his design for the interiors of the Royalton Hotel in New York, a strikingly novel environment featuring jewel-toned carpeting and upholstery and furnishings with organically shaped cast-aluminum frames. He followed that up in 1990 with an equally impressive redesign of the Paramount Hotel in Manhattan, a project that featured over-scaled furniture as well as headboards that mimicked Old Masters paintings.

Like their designer, furniture pieces by Starck seem to enjoy attention. Designs such as the wedge-shaped J Series club chair; the sweeping molded-mahogany Costes chair; the provocative Ara table lamp; or the sinuous WW stool never fail to raise eyebrows. Other Starck pieces make winking postmodern references to historical designs. His polycarbonate Louis Ghost armchair puts a new twist on Louis XVI furniture; his Out-In chair offers a futuristic take on the classic English high-back chair. But for all his flair, Starck maintains a populist vision of design. While one of his limited-edition Prince de Fribourg et Treyer armchairs might be priced at $7,000, a plastic Starck chair for the Italian firm Kartell is available for around $250. As you will see on 1stDibs, Philippe Starck’s furniture makes a bold statement — and it can add a welcome bit of humor to even the most traditional decor.