Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
From its unorthodox beginnings, Italian manufacturer Arflex grew into one of the leaders of 20th-century furniture design. Its furniture came to be known for its integration of new materials and bold appeal, and today a variety of vintage Arflex chairs, sofas and tables are emblems of mid-century modernism.
Arflex was established in Milan in 1947 by Pirelli employees Carlo Barassi, Pio Reggiani, Renato Teani and Aldo Bai. Barassi, a Milan Polytechnic graduate and visionary engineer at the Italian tire manufacturer, explored innovative technology and new uses for synthetic materials in domestic products (for Kartell, he codeveloped a ski rack for automobiles). The four founders partnered with a young architect named Marco Zanuso, who also desired to create furniture that featured an application of novel materials such as elastic tape and polyurethane foam.
One of Arflex’s inaugural pieces was Zanuso’s Lady armchair, a seat made of polyurethane foam that was manufactured in pieces and assembled at the very end of the production process. It won a gold medal at the 1951 Milan Triennale. A couple of years later, Arflex collaborated with Studio BBPR to create the office-chic Elettra and Neptunia chairs. The flourishing furniture company quickly established a reputation for compelling products and attracting and working with up-and-coming designers such as Roberto Menghi, who created Hall, a luxurious line of seating that would earn the Compasso d’Oro – Honorable Mention in 1959.
In the 1960s, Arflex continued to welcome the use of new and cutting-edge materials. Popular designs from this decade include Carlo Bartoli's fiberglass and polyester resin Gaia lounge chair and Cini Boer’s Bobo Relax lounger, one of history’s first seating pieces made of polyurethane foam (it has no internal frame). Boer, a pioneer of furniture design in Italy, also created the Strips sofa for the brand in 1972. Part of a plush modular seating system, the Strips sofa became an Arflex icon and was awarded the Compasso d'Oro in 1979.
Arflex continues to work with innovative designers to this day. Among their more recent collaborations is with Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. The company's legendary creations are also on display at museums worldwide. The Lady chair, for example, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
On 1stDibs, you can find a collection of vintage Arflex lounge chairs, armchairs, coffee tables and other furniture.
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Iron
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Steel
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal, Iron
Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Cane, Teak
20th Century Polish Mid-Century Modern Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
1990s English Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Aluminum
2010s Turkish International Style Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
2010s Turkish International Style Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak, Walnut
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
1970s Italian Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
1950s Italian Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal, Steel
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Aluminum
1950s Italian Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Steel
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arflex Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Brass
