ProductsChairsLounge chairsSofasOffice chairsChaises longuesStools & benchesSculpturesConference chairsAirport seatingStorage spaceMicro architectureDining tablesCafé tablesCoffee & side tablesDesksOffice furniture systemsConference systemsLightingClocksDecorative objectsCoat racks & wall shelvesTrays & vesselsAlexander Girard Antonio CitterioCharles & Ray Eames Barber OsgerbyGeorge NelsonHella JongeriusIsamu NoguchiJasper MorrisonJean ProuvéKonstantin GrcicRonan & Erwan BouroullecVerner PantonPanter&TourronCare & repairSpare partsCare productsManufacturer warrantyNewBestsellerQuickly availableGift finderOffice chair finderLounge chair finderColour & materialAnagram SofaVitra CushionsInspirationsLiving roomDining roomHome OfficeChildren's roomOutdoorHome StoriesAugmented RealityWorkspaceFocusMeetingWorkshopClub OfficeCitizen OfficeStudio OfficeDynamic SpacesHospitalityAirportsEducationCo-WorkingHealthcareOur ClientsHome StoriesAugmented Reality - bring Vitra products into your homeA case for classicsColour & materialAn open house A leading space for a leading art collegeHigh comfort of low energyAn office landscape - without walls or partitionsServicesCare & repairSpare partsCare productsManufacturer warrantyFAQ and contactInstructionsInstructions for earlier productsConsulting & Planning StudioConsulting & planning in the VitraHausOutdoor care instructionsRepair, maintenance, overhaul at the Vitra Circle Store Campus ProfessionalsCAD dataProduct factsheetsCertificatesBrochuresSustainability reportInstructionsEcology informationpConPlanning examplesColour & Material LibraryCertificates and standardsTo the dealer loginOur ClientsMikadoTyde 2 on castorsACXDancing OfficeOffice chairsDancing Wall mobile collaborationMagazineStoriesConversationsExhibitionsDesignerProject VitraWhy the Eames La Fonda Chair was designedWhen a Sofa is more than just a Sofa: Anagram100% virgin wool – 100% recyclableAn archive is like a time capsuleVitraHaus Loft - A conversation with Sabine MarcelisWalking the talkA 1000 m2 piece of furnitureShaping the future of energyFrom a toy to an objectWhat would nature doA studio visit with Tsuyoshi TaneThe Eames Collection at the Vitra Design MuseumAbout the partnership between Eames and VitraVitra CampusExhibitionsGuided tours & workshopsFood and drinkShoppingActivities for familiesArchitectureYour eventPlan your visitVitra Campus appCampus EventsNewsVitraHausVitra Design MuseumVitra SchaudepotVitra Circle Store CampusOudolf GartenAbout VitraSustainabilityJobs & CareersDesign processThe Original is by VitraHistory - Project Vitra
Some designs from the past remain unsurpassed and never lose their vitality or relevance. This is certainly true for the Standard Chair and the Chaise Tout Bois by French designer and ‘constructeur’ Jean Prouvé.
Trained as a metal artisan, Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) was both the designer and the manufacturer of his own product ideas. His exceptional oeuvre encompasses almost anything that is suited to industrial production methods – including lighting, furniture, modular building systems and prefabricated houses.
A prime example of this approach is Prouvé’s Standard Chair, whose elegant rear frame section made from thin bent sheet steel resembles the shape of an aircraft wing that has its widest measurement at the point where the legs meet the seat frame – in other words, where the stress is the greatest. During the Second World War, when metal was in short supply, Prouvé began experimenting with a wooden version of this design, which eventually resulted in the Chaise Tout Bois – his only chair made entirely of wood.
Trained as a metal artisan, Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) was both the designer and the manufacturer of his own product ideas. His exceptional oeuvre encompasses almost anything that is suited to industrial production methods – including lighting, furniture, modular building systems and prefabricated houses.
A prime example of this approach is Prouvé’s Standard Chair, whose elegant rear frame section made from thin bent sheet steel resembles the shape of an aircraft wing that has its widest measurement at the point where the legs meet the seat frame – in other words, where the stress is the greatest. During the Second World War, when metal was in short supply, Prouvé began experimenting with a wooden version of this design, which eventually resulted in the Chaise Tout Bois – his only chair made entirely of wood.
With its wide back legs, metal base, and wood seat, the Prouvé Standard Chair is one of the most recognizable and distinctive furniture icons of the 20th century. The Standard SP (2013), or Siège en Plastique, introduces a new material to the iconic steel and wood chair, maintaining the same unmistakable design profile as its forebear, the Standard Chair. With Chaise Tout Bois, Standard and Standard SP, Jean Prouvé's iconic silhouette is now available in three product designs with different material and colour options that can be perfectly combined.
The Original is by Vitra
Invest in an original, for it will always retain its worth. An imitation will never be anything but a copy, a stolen idea. Appreciate the differences – not just the quality and more obvious variances but also the sensory and emotional appeal of the authentic product. An original is a lifelong companion and may well outlive you to be gratefully received by the next generation.