Jil Sander Reinvents Marcel Breuer's "S 64" Chair

German fashion designer Jil Sander has unveiled a collaboration with furniture brand Thonet, in the form of a reinterpretation of an iconic Marcel Breuer design.

Marking the German designer’s first foray into furniture, the Thonet collaboration takes 1920s designs and sees Sander apply her own stamp resulting in two lines: Serious and Nordic – both of which were launched during this year’s Milan Design Week.

For Serious, Sander focused in on the S 64 chair. Created by Breuer in 1929-1930, the chair became an emblem of Bauhaus design, with its cantilever tubular steel frame and canework seat and backrest. Sander and the Thonet design team worked to create a new glossy detail across the frame, combined with leather upholstery for the seats and backrests in four different shades. In addition, there is a version that still features the classic canework, but comes in a “Dark Melange” hue.

1 of 3

Hartmut Nägele

2 of 3

Hartmut Nägele

3 of 3

Hartmut Nägele

“My goal was to take the S 64 as Breuer meant it to be and bring it into the here and now,” Sander says. “The chair’s design and fundamental structure have stood the test of time and deserve contemporary recognition. I wanted the chair’s iconic status to be apparent at first glance and its details to slowly reveal themselves,”

With Nordic, Sander took a warmer approach, and opted for shades and materials that feel more remiscient of design from that region. Matte-finised silver nickel is combined with white pigmented oak and natural or white-toned leather. Both the Serious and Nordic lines incorporate a set of nesting tables, which feature colors and materials similar to that of the seating.

“The collection simply looks as if we had taken Breuer’s cantilever chair and carefully polished it,” Sander adds. Despite the new details, the original is immediately recognisable.”

The JS. Thonet Signature collection launched during this year’s Milan Design Week. Head to the Thonet website to find out more.