Dieter Rams 620 Sofa and Lounge Chairs in Black Leather for Vitsoe, 1980s
View Similar Items
Dieter Rams 620 Sofa and Lounge Chairs in Black Leather for Vitsoe, 1980s
About the Item
- Creator:Vitsoe (Manufacturer),Dieter Rams (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 27.56 in (70 cm)Width: 59.85 in (152 cm)Depth: 31.5 in (80 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 3
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1979
- Condition:
- Seller Location:ABCOUDE, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6852232949012
Dieter Rams
German industrial designer Dieter Rams is revered for the pared-down, intuitive electronics and consumer goods he created for Braun — where he worked from 1955 to 1997, most of that time as chief design officer — and his timeless furniture for Vitsœ, a company with which he continues to collaborate today.
Less well known are Rams’s longstanding focus on sustainability and uneasy relationship with contemporary technology, even as Silicon Valley designers like Apple’s Jonathan Ive follow in his rational footsteps.
During Germany’s postwar rebuilding period, Rams and his team of designers at Braun, inspired by the Bauhaus and the Ulm School of Design, focused on extreme simplicity and usability while conceiving products with a modern, forward-looking appearance.
Among Rams’s most iconic designs is the SK 4 phonograph and radio, created in 1956, which had a compact white metal case topped by a revolutionary-at-the-time transparent Plexiglas lid that revealed simple gray controls inside (it was nicknamed Snow White’s Coffin). But it is the T3 portable radio, from 1958, that gets design aficionados most excited today: A white rectangular box with a perforated square for the speaker and a circular-dial control, it bears an unmistakable resemblance to Apple’s original iPod. (Many people also note that the iPhone’s calculator app looks remarkably similar to the Braun ET 66 calculator, with its circular color-coded buttons.)
In the late 1970s, Rams laid out his widely studied 10 principles for good design: It is innovative, makes a product useful, is aesthetic, makes a product understandable, is unobtrusive, is honest, is long lasting, is thorough down to the last detail, is environmentally friendly and is as little design as possible.
One of Rams’s principles that hasn’t translated to our contemporary era is his emphasis on longevity. “The time of thoughtless design and thoughtless consumption is over,” he said in 1976, stressing the need to conserve natural resources — even as he was busy designing plastic products.
Rams has also expressed reservations about how electronics have evolved in recent decades from tools for improving life to time-sucking obsessions. “Every time he crosses a street and sees people glued to their phones, he just can’t conceive of how we got to this point,” says filmmaker Gary Hustwit, whose feature-length documentary on Rams debuted in 2018. “I think he’s a little bit saddened by all this work they did in the fifties and sixties, which had a very idealistic point of view, being a stepping stone to where we are now, and the current lust for technology.”
If digital devices sometimes seem to be making life more complicated, Rams’s precept remains the same as always: “Back to purity, back to simplicity.”
Find vintage Dieter Rams furniture on 1stDibs.
- Dieter Rams Cognac Leather Model 620 3-Seater Sofa for Vitsoe, 1980sBy Vitsoe, Dieter RamsLocated in ABCOUDE, UTIconic sofa by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe. The black outer shell is made from a hot-pressed sheet-moulding compound, which is similar to, but stronger than fiberglass. Originally upholst...Category
Vintage 1970s Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Fiberglass
- Midcentury Sculptural lounge sofa in cognac leather, France 1980sLocated in ABCOUDE, UTIncredible midcentury sculptural lounge sofa in cognac leather made in France, 1980s. This one-of-a-kind sofa was designed and hand-made to match an architectural home in Brittany, F...Category
Vintage 1970s Sofas
MaterialsSteel
- Illum Wikkelsø Apollo seating group in cognac leather for Ryesberg Møbler, 1970sBy Illum Wikkelsø, Ryesberg MøblerLocated in ABCOUDE, UTThe Apollo set by renowned designer Illum Wikkelsø in an extraordinary large set. The set consist of four seats, two ottomans with two pillows, two middle pieces and a corner piece. ...Category
Vintage 1960s Living Room Sets
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Anfibio Sofa Bed In Cognac Leather By Alessandro Becchi For Giovanetti CollezionBy Alessandro Becchi, GiovannettiLocated in ABCOUDE, UTIncredible Anfibio sofa bed by Alessandro Becchi for Giovanetti Collezione Italy 1971. This stunning cognac leather upholstery fits perfectly with the white teddy fabric on the mattr...Category
Vintage 1970s Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Bouclé
- Theo Ruth for Artifort Sofa 109 in bouclé and oak, 1950sBy Theo Ruth, ArtifortLocated in ABCOUDE, UTBeautiful and rare model 109 Sofa in bouclé and oak by Theo Ruth for Artifort, Netherlands, 1950s. This rare sofa features a sophisticated sculptural design. A comfortable and high q...Category
Vintage 1940s Sofas
MaterialsWool, Oak
- Afra & Tobia Scarpa ‘Artona’ Sofa in Elm and linen for Maxalto, 1975By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, MaxaltoLocated in ABCOUDE, UTBeautiful Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 'Artona' sofa, elm, Italy 1975 This sofa shows absolute stunning craftsmanship. The absolute highlight of this incredible sofa is the woo...Category
Vintage 1970s Sofas
MaterialsLinen, Elm, Walnut
- 1980s Vintage Dieter Rams for Vitsoe 620 Red Leather and Black Two Seat SetteeBy Dieter Rams, VitsoeLocated in Philadelphia, PAListed for sale is a rare Dieter Rams for Vitsoe 620 two-seater loveseat with gorgeous red leather upholstery and black casing. This is a favorite of ours, ...Category
Vintage 1980s German Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather
- 1st Gen Dieter Rams RZ620 Sofa for Vitsoe 1962By Dieter Rams, VitsoeLocated in Aachen, NWThis timeless iconic sofa was made in the early 60s by Vitsoe and designed by Dieter Rams. The sofa comes from the iconic RZ620 series and is a first generation example. The sofa i...Category
Vintage 1960s German Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather
- 60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Armchair Program 620 Design Couch FabricBy Dieter Rams, VitsoeLocated in Neuenkirchen, NI60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe armchair program 620 design couch fabric Object: 2-seater sofa Manufacturer: Vitsoe Condition: good - vintage Age: around 1960-1970 Dime...Category
Vintage 1970s European Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Plastic
- 60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe Armchair Program 620 Design Couch Fabric ObjectBy Dieter Rams, VitsoeLocated in Neuenkirchen, NI60s 70s Dieter Rams for Vitsoe armchair program 620 design couch fabric Object: 2-seater sofa Manufacturer: Vitsoe Condition: good - vintage Age: around 1960-1970 Dime...Category
Vintage 1970s European Sofas
MaterialsFabric, Plastic
- Dieter Rams Lounge Chair + Ottoman Swivel Base by Vitsœ Leather 1962 MinimalBy Dieter Rams, VitsoeLocated in Munster, NRWLounge Chair + Ottoman from the chair program 620 - designed by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe, Germany in 1962. The pictured Lounge Chair and its Ottoman were purchased around 2000 and ha...Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather
- Mid-Century Modern "620" Easy Chair by Dieter Rams for VitsoeBy Dieter Rams, VitsoeLocated in Doornspijk, NLThe seating system Dieter Rams designed in 1962 for Vitsoe is just as timeless as his famous Shelving System. The modular principle allows for extreme flexibility. This chair has b...Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Fiberglass