Panton Chair's 50th Anniversary: Vitra's Iconic Design Celebrates Half a Century

Celebrating its 50th year, the Panton Chair, crafted by Verner Panton, has become a design icon of the 20th century. Initially conceived between 1959 and 1960, it was first manufactured by Vitra in 1967. This chair, designed as a single molded piece, conforms to the body's shape. In 1971, it sparked controversy when Amanda Lear posed nearly nude on it for Nova magazine. Panton originally proposed the cantilevered design in 1956 for a WK-Möbel competition, with sketches from 1958/59 closely resembling the final product. After prototypes were developed, the chair was unveiled to the public in August 1967. To commemorate its 50th anniversary in September 2010, eco-friendly Green Panton Chair models were introduced. In 2017, Vitra launched limited editions, Panton Chrome and Panton Glow, in collaboration with Marianne Panton.