Jean Prouvé produced some interesting designs on both sides of the second world war – the Cité Armchair being a classic from his early days, designed for a competition for furnishing the halls of residence at Nancy’s cité universitaire in 1930 – and still in production today.
It’s very much the easy chair, used by Prouvé to kick back in his own home. It uses a moulded sheet steel base, with a seat and back made from a single piece of fabric or leather and armrests made from natural leather straps.
This modernist gem went back into production in 2001 through Vitra and is still available today. Expect to pay about £2,000 and wait a while – as all are made to order.
