The 13th of February marks the centenary of the birth of Verner Panton, one of the most influential and unconventional figures in 20th-century design. A hundred years after his birth, his design language continues to speak to the present, inspiring architects, interior designers and collectors with an expressive force that has lost none of its intensity.
© Verner Panton Design AG
To celebrate this anniversary, Vitra and the Vitra Design Museum, in collaboration with the Panton family, have created a comprehensive programme that will run throughout the year: exhibitions, events, iconic reissues, limited editions and new product launches in special fabrics and leathers. A tribute that not only commemorates, but also reaffirms the relevance of a design philosophy that redefined the relationship between object and space.
The meeting with Vitra and the birth of an icon
The relationship between Verner Panton and Vitra was born from an idea that was as simple as it was revolutionary: to create a monocoque chair made from a single material, without joints or visible structures. This intuition caught the interest of Willi Fehlbaum, founder of Vitra, and only took shape after his son Rolf Fehlbaum became involved in the project.
The result was the Panton Chair, presented in 1967: the first chair made of plastic moulded in a single piece. An object that marked a turning point in the history of industrial design, becoming a manifesto of formal freedom and technological experimentation.
Since then, the collaboration has grown stronger over time, giving rise to a series of furnishings that are now considered true classics: Cone Chair, Heart Cone Chair, Amoebe, Visiona Stool, Living Tower. These are designs that go beyond function and define the identity of the spaces in which they are placed.
Heart Cone Chair Anniversary Edition: the heart of the celebrations
The symbolic moment of the celebrations is set for 13 February, with the presentation of the limited edition two-tone Heart Cone Chair. A refined reinterpretation that enhances the sculptural power of the chair and the dialogue between interior and exterior, a distinctive feature of Panton’s work.
This special edition is not only a tribute, but an invitation to rediscover design as an emotional and cultural experience. One hundred years after his birth, Verner Panton reminds us that design is never just function, but vision, experimentation and freedom of expression.
