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Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, designed in 1926, is marking its 100th anniversary in 2026 with a special edition in a gold leather textile. The chair’s rounded upholstery and tubular steel frame helped make it a distinctive modern design, and it has been in renewed production since the 1970s.
A gold leather textile edition of Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair is marking the design’s 100th anniversary in 2026. Gray designed the chair in 1926; it is known for its rounded, tyre-like cushions and tubular steel frame and has remained in production for decades.
The chair’s distinctive form is built from stacked, generously padded rings set on a slender metal base. Its name refers to Bibendum, the Michelin Man, whose rounded shape inspired Gray’s playful design. The chair combines the look of an upholstered club chair with a frame that gives it a more architectural profile.
The new edition, described in the source report as an anniversary release, uses a gold leather textile. The report does not give a price, production quantity, release date or details about where the special edition will be sold. The chair has been produced by Aram since the 1970s, after the company secured a licence to Gray’s designs.
Designers interviewed by Livingetc point to the contrast between the chair’s soft upholstery and precise metal frame as a reason it remains visually distinctive. Iain Watson, CEO and founder of David Collins Studio, said he had lived with a pair for years and admired their “balance of sensuality and modernity.” Interior designer Agnes Rudzite described it as both a seat and “a sculptural object in its own right.” These are designers’ assessments, rather than evidence of sales or market demand.
A Century of Soft Forms and Steel
The centenary highlights how a design can remain recognizable while fitting into interiors created many decades after its debut. The Bibendum’s appeal rests on a clear contrast: large, rounded upholstery sits above a slim tubular-steel base. That combination makes the chair stand out without relying on elaborate surface decoration.
The anniversary edition also shows how a historic design can be presented to current audiences through a material update rather than a redesign of its overall shape. The gold finish adds a new option, but the source report does not indicate that the chair’s dimensions, construction or other specifications have changed. For design readers, the milestone is a chance to see both the chair’s continuing commercial life and its place in Gray’s wider body of work.
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From Gray’s Projects to Production
Gray used the chair in projects during the 1920s and 1930s, including fashion entrepreneur Juliette Mathieu-Lévy’s Paris apartment on Rue de Lota and her own Villa E-1027 at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, completed in 1929. A reconstruction of the villa can still be seen there, according to the source report. In those settings, the chair’s rounded shape contrasted with more linear architecture.
Early versions were upholstered in fabric or skai, a vinyl designed to resemble leather, and are now described as scarce. The chair’s production was limited before designer and retailer Zeev Aram secured a licence in 1973 and brought Gray’s designs, including the Bibendum, back into production. Aram is identified as the exclusive UK supplier; ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK.
Gray’s career included lacquer work, furniture, interiors and architecture. Her work did not achieve broad mainstream success early in her career, the report says, and recognition came later in life and after her death. The chair’s survival in production is therefore part of a wider reassessment of her design legacy, although the report does not quantify its sales or popularity.
“I have always admired their balance of sensuality and modernity.”
— Iain Watson, CEO and founder of David Collins Studio
modern lounge chairs with tubular steel
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Edition Details Still Unreported
The source report does not specify the anniversary edition’s price, quantity, exact launch date or availability by market. It also does not provide technical details about the gold leather textile, such as its composition, care requirements or whether it is leather or a leather-like material; the wording identifies it only as a “gold” leather textile.
The report describes the chair as widely regarded as a landmark of modern furniture design, but provides no sales figures, customer data or independent survey measuring its popularity. Its longevity in production is documented in the report; claims about why it remains sought after are attributed to designers’ opinions.
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Availability and Pricing Remain Ahead
The immediate next details to watch are the anniversary edition’s retail price, release timing and regional availability. The source report identifies Aram and ClassiCon’s licensing arrangements but does not say which supplier will offer the gold edition in each market or when orders will open.
Until those details are announced, the confirmed development is the chair’s centenary and the special-edition material. Further product specifications or announcements from the licensed suppliers could clarify how the anniversary release differs from standard Bibendum models.
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Key Questions
Who designed the Bibendum chair?
Irish-born designer Eileen Gray designed the chair in 1926.
Why is it called the Bibendum chair?
The name refers to Bibendum, the Michelin Man, whose rounded silhouette is echoed in the chair’s padded rings.
What is new for the chair’s 100th anniversary?
A special edition in a gold leather textile is being introduced for the 2026 centenary. The source report does not provide its price or detailed availability.
Is the Bibendum chair still being made?
Yes. The source report says Aram has produced it since the 1970s, following a licence secured in 1973. It identifies Aram as the exclusive UK supplier and ClassiCon as holding a sublicence outside the UK.
Source: rss
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