TL;DR
Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, designed in 1926, reaches its centenary in 2026, with a special edition in gold-toned leather textile. Its rounded upholstery and tubular steel frame have helped it remain a recognizable piece of modern furniture design. The anniversary is confirmed in the source report; exact edition numbers and broader sales details are not provided.
Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair is marking 100 years since its 1926 design with a special edition in gold-toned leather textile, according to Livingetc. The anniversary brings renewed attention to a chair whose distinctive rounded upholstery and tubular-steel frame have kept it in production and in contemporary interiors long after its debut.
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The Bibendum is built from stacked, padded rings that recall the shape of the Michelin Man, set over a polished tubular-steel base. Its name refers to the mascot’s formal name, Bibendum. The design combines a generous, soft-looking seat with a spare metal frame, making the chair read as both furniture and a sculptural object.
Gray used the chair in interiors during the 1920s and 1930s, including fashion entrepreneur Juliette Mathieu-Lévy’s Paris apartment on Rue de Lota and her Villa E-1027, completed in 1929. Livingetc reports that a reconstruction of the villa can still be seen at the site in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. In those settings, the chair’s rounded outline stood apart from the buildings’ more linear architecture.
The special edition is new for 2026 and uses a gold leather textile, as described in the source report. The chair has been made by Aram since the 1970s, after the company secured a licence to produce Gray’s designs. Aram is the exclusive UK supplier, while ClassiCon holds a sublicence for markets outside the UK, according to Livingetc.
A Century of Sculptural Seating
The centenary highlights how a chair can remain recognizable without relying on a restrained or anonymous silhouette. The Bibendum’s rounded, upholstered rings are unusually expressive, while its slender steel frame gives the form a sense of lightness. That contrast helps explain why it can function as a seat and as a visual focal point in a room.
Its continued presence in contemporary projects also reflects its ability to sit across design periods. The shape can be read as playful, but the materials and geometry connect it to modernist furniture. Interior designers quoted by Livingetc describe it as both comfortable and sculptural, qualities that make it relevant to readers interested in design history as well as current interiors. The anniversary edition gives the milestone a physical expression, though the report does not provide details on its production quantity or pricing.
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From Gray’s Studio to Production
Gray was an Irish-born designer and architect whose work included the Adjustable Table E1027, the Villa E-1027 and the Lota sofa. The Bibendum’s rounded outline was a playful departure from the club chair forms of its era, while its tubular-steel support replaced the conventional visual weight of wooden legs. The source report describes that material choice as radical for the period.
Gray’s work attracted attention in design circles, but the Bibendum was made in limited numbers and later became scarce. Livingetc reports that early versions were upholstered in fabric or skai, a vinyl material designed to resemble leather, and that the chair faded from view before its revival. Zeev Aram secured a licence for Gray’s designs in 1973 and returned pieces including the Bibendum to production. The anniversary edition follows that later manufacturing history rather than marking a newly discovered design.
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Edition Details Still Unreported
The source report identifies the anniversary edition as a gold leather textile version but does not state its price, production run, release date beyond 2026, or whether it will be available in every market. It also does not specify whether the material is leather or a leather-look textile; it uses the wording “gold” leather textile.
The report says the Bibendum has been made by Aram since the 1970s and outlines its current licensing arrangements, but it does not provide recent sales figures or explain how many chairs are produced each year. Claims about the chair’s popularity or influence are presented as design commentary, not quantified market data.
Where the Anniversary Edition Appears
The reported centenary edition is part of the chair’s 2026 anniversary. Readers interested in buying it will need to check with Aram or its authorised retail partners for confirmed availability, market-specific pricing and material specifications; those details are not included in the source report. The chair’s continuing production through licensed suppliers means the anniversary also provides an occasion to revisit Gray’s original design and the later revival that brought it back to market.
Key Questions
When was the Bibendum chair designed?
Eileen Gray designed the Bibendum in 1926, making 2026 its centenary year.
Why is it called the Bibendum chair?
The name refers to Bibendum, the Michelin Man mascot. The chair’s stacked, rounded upholstery echoes the mascot’s ringed shape.
What is special about the 2026 edition?
Livingetc reports that the centenary edition has a gold-toned leather textile. The report does not give its price, production quantity or exact release date.
Who makes the Bibendum chair today?
Aram has made the chair since the 1970s under licence. Aram is the exclusive UK supplier, while ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK, according to Livingetc.
Source: rss
