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Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, designed in 1926, is marking its centenary in 2026 with a special edition in gold-colored leather textile. The chair’s rounded upholstery and tubular steel frame remain central to its distinctive look; details such as the edition’s price and production numbers were not provided in the source report.
Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, designed in 1926, is marking its 100th anniversary in 2026 with a special edition finished in a gold-colored leather textile. The anniversary puts renewed attention on a design known for its padded, ring-like form and slender tubular steel frame, which remains in production and is still used in contemporary interiors.
The chair’s defining silhouette is built from rounded, generously upholstered sections arranged over a polished-looking metal base. Its name refers to Bibendum, the Michelin Man, whose rounded appearance inspired Gray’s playful interpretation of a club chair. The original design combined a soft, inviting seat with a frame that gives the piece a more architectural outline.
The new anniversary version, described by Livingetc as new for 2026, uses a gold-colored leather textile. The report does not specify the edition’s price, number of pieces, release date or whether it will be available in every market. The chair has been made by Aram since the 1970s, after the company secured a licence to produce Gray’s work; Aram is the UK supplier, while ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK, according to the report.
Gray used the Bibendum in projects during the 1920s and 1930s, including Juliette Mathieu-Lévy’s Paris apartment on Rue de Lota and her own Villa E-1027 on the French Riviera. A reconstruction of the chair can still be seen at the villa, the report says. Those placements show how Gray used the chair as part of an interior rather than only as a standalone furnishing.
Why the Bibendum Still Fits Modern Rooms
The centenary matters because the Bibendum is more than a design anniversary: it illustrates how a piece of furniture can remain recognizable while continuing to work in changing interiors. Its sculptural upholstered form can act as a visual focal point, while its metal frame avoids the heavier appearance of traditional club-chair legs. That contrast helps explain its continued use in projects with contemporary as well as historical references.
Interior designers quoted by Livingetc describe the chair as combining comfort and visual impact. Iain Watson, chief executive and founder of David Collins Studio, said he had lived with a pair and admired their balance of “sensuality and modernity.” Agnes Rudzite, of Agnes Rudzite Interiors, said its generous rounded shape offers both a seat and a sculptural object. These are professional assessments rather than evidence of sales or broad consumer demand; the report provides no market figures.
The anniversary edition also brings the design into current retail and interiors conversation. A new finish can refresh a familiar object without changing the features that make it identifiable. For readers considering the chair, the practical significance is that the original design is not simply a historical reference: licensed versions remain available, although the source does not give current pricing or stock information.
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From Gray’s 1926 Design to Production
Gray was an Irish-born designer and architect whose work ranged across furniture, interiors and architecture. The Bibendum emerged during a period when tubular steel and modernist forms were gaining prominence, but its substantial upholstery set it apart from more restrained furniture of the era. The report says Gray used the design in several projects through the 1920s and 1930s, including Villa E-1027, completed in 1929.
The chair’s name draws on the Michelin Man, first illustrated by cartoonist O’Galop in 1898. The character’s name comes from the Latin phrase Nunc est bibendum, which Michelin adopted as an advertising slogan, according to Livingetc. Gray’s use of that reference linked the chair’s distinctive rounded profile with a recognizable piece of commercial imagery, giving the design a playful quality alongside its modern materials.
Early examples, reportedly upholstered in fabric or skai, a vinyl made to resemble leather, are now scarce. The chair’s production was limited before the 1970s. Zeev Aram secured a licence for Gray’s designs in 1973 and brought pieces including the Bibendum back into production. That later manufacturing history helped make the chair more widely available than the early versions, while licensing arrangements continue to shape its distribution.
““I lived with a pair of Bibendum chairs for many years and have always admired their balance of sensuality and modernity.””
— Iain Watson, CEO and founder of David Collins Studio
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Edition Details Not Yet Provided
The source report identifies the gold-colored leather textile as the 2026 anniversary edition’s distinguishing feature, but does not provide its price, production quantity, exact launch date or availability by country. It also does not state whether the finish is a limited run or will become part of the regular collection.
The report describes the chair as widely regarded as a landmark of modern furniture design and notes its continued appearance in contemporary projects. It does not include sales data, consumer research or other measures that would quantify its current popularity. The reasons designers give for using it are attributed opinions, not independently measured findings.
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Availability and Anniversary Releases
Readers interested in the anniversary version will need to check with the relevant licensed sellers for pricing, release timing and local availability. The source identifies Aram as the UK supplier and ClassiCon as the sublicence holder outside the UK, but gives no purchase details. Any additional information about the edition’s production run or broader release plans has not been included in the report.
The centenary year is also a moment for renewed attention to Gray’s wider body of work, including her furniture and the Villa E-1027 project. The next confirmed development in this story is the 2026 edition itself; no further events or launches were specified in the source material.
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Key Questions
Who designed the Bibendum chair?
Eileen Gray, an Irish-born designer and architect, designed the Bibendum chair in 1926.
Why is the chair called Bibendum?
The name refers to Bibendum, the Michelin Man, whose rounded silhouette inspired the chair’s padded, ring-like form. The name traces back to a Latin phrase adopted by Michelin as an advertising slogan, according to the source report.
What is special about the 2026 anniversary edition?
The 2026 edition is described as using a gold-colored leather textile. The report does not say whether it is limited, how many will be made or what it will cost.
Where can the Bibendum chair be bought?
The report says Aram is the UK supplier and ClassiCon holds the sublicence outside the UK. It does not provide current stock, retailer or pricing details, so availability should be checked with those companies or their local sellers.
Source: rss
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