#TheMilanFiles: Your First Look at Vitra’s New 2020 Collection
What do you do when you’ve planned an exciting event for a time in which half the planet is in lockdown? If you ask us, you get all dressed up and do your best to celebrate it anyway. Need proof? Look no further than Swiss brand Vitra. With the news that the Salone del Milano had been postponed until 2021 and several exciting new designs ready to launch, they transformed part of the Vitra campus into a beautiful exhibition space.
Spread over four exciting rooms, the novelties were interspersed with icons old and new from the Vitra collection. Away from the bustle of Milan, the exhibition hall gained a certain ethereality, rather like a beautiful silent movie or the recent images of the Pope delivering his monthly address to an empty Basilica. And while we miss the people, the message matters just the same. So join us as we take a quick dive into a couple of the most exciting items, now available for pre-order.
Back To Basics
It feels wrong, and we’re sure that Jasper Morrison would agree, to call Moca a novelty. While it has never been seen or exhibited before, in many ways it is a continuation of a classic idea. Pared back to the very essentials, it features a beautifully curved wooden back and seat combined with a statement steel base. Morrison himself describes it as an expression of his “super normal” approach to design — a quest to create objects that are understated, useful and responsible. We’d call it timeless.
However, don’t be fooled by its simple appearance. Moca unites the wisdom of an experienced designer with the unparalleled manufacturing expertise of Vitra to create a wonderfully ergonomic chair. Ideal for sitting in for hours on end, it can also be stacked up to six high, with the clever under-seat protector ensuring the longevity of the veneered surfaces.
Lost & Found
Re-released for the first time since its inception in 1941, the Chaise Tout Bois Chair is the only all-wood chair from the archives of Jean Prouvé. It shares the same visual design language as the Standard Chair, only this time, trading metal details for the truthfulness of wood. The swap was actually a result of the scarcity of metal following the Second World War, however, designers have later realised that it lent added strength and style. Available in two statement wood finishes, it promises to add story and sophistication to any interior.
A Platform For Living
Mariposa butterflies have long been seen as a symbol of freedom and transformation. In their dramatic evolution from caterpillar to butterfly, they are liberated from the trappings of gravity and free to discover the excitement of flight. It’s that same sense of multi-functionality and beauty that British designers have tried to encapsulate with the Mariposa Corner Sofa. Its clever adjustable armrests open up like wings to allow for various modes of living and working. Available in a wide range of sumptuous fabrics, it’s an adaptation that recognises that sofa has become much more than just a place to relax, but a platform for living.
A Soft New Look
Another item that stood out for us was the updated Grand Relax Chair. The brainchild of Italian industrial designer, Antonio Citterio, it is a deeply comfortable high-backed lounger ideal for use in lounges or lobbies. This year, Vitra has upped the ante by introducing cosy new fabric upholsteries, revealing once again the preference for soft, sculpted designs that we’ve been writing about all year.
SHOP THE VITRA 2020 NOVELTIES ONLINE AT CHAPLINS