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Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, designed in 1926, reaches its centenary in 2026. Aram is marking the anniversary with a special edition featuring a gold leather textile; the chair has rounded upholstery and a tubular steel frame.
Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair turns 100 in 2026, marking a century since the Irish-born designer created its arrangement of rounded upholstery on a tubular steel frame. Aram is marking the centenary with a special edition finished in a gold leather textile.
The chair is named for Bibendum, the Michelin Man, whose rounded form inspired its stacked upholstered rings. Gray paired that shape with a metal base, in contrast with the wooden legs common to traditional club chairs.
Gray used the chair in interiors 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. The villa was completed in 1929; a reconstruction of the interior can still be seen there, according to Livingetc.
The anniversary edition, described by Livingetc as new for 2026, retains the chair’s established form and adds a gold leather textile. The report identifies Aram as the maker and worldwide licence holder since the 1970s. It says Aram is the exclusive UK supplier and ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK.
A Century of Soft Geometry
The centenary marks 100 years since the chair’s design in 1926. Its rounded upholstered seat and tubular steel frame are defining features of the piece. The anniversary edition introduces a gold leather textile while retaining the established form.
Interior designer Agnes Rudzite described the chair to Livingetc as “a two-in-one interior solution: an inviting chair to sit in and a sculptural object in its own right.” This is Rudzite’s assessment of the chair’s function and appearance.
The chair’s continued production reflects the role of licensing in keeping older designs available. Livingetc reports that Zeev Aram secured a licence and brought Gray’s furniture back into production in 1973.
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From Gray’s Studio to Production
Gray’s work ranged beyond the Bibendum. Her designs include the Adjustable Table E1027, the Lota sofa and Villa E-1027 itself. She opened Galerie Jean Désert in Paris in 1922, and the design journal L’Architecture Vivante devoted a special issue to the villa in 1929. Livingetc reports that Gray’s mainstream recognition came later in her life and after her death.
Early Bibendum chairs, upholstered in fabric or skai, a vinyl made to resemble leather, were produced in limited numbers and are now scarce, according to the report. The chair’s production history changed in 1973, when Zeev Aram secured a licence to produce Gray’s designs, including the Bibendum. Aram continues to supply it in the UK, while ClassiCon holds a sublicence for markets outside the UK.
The chair’s name has a longer history than the furniture itself. Michelin adopted “Nunc est bibendum,” a Latin phrase associated with the Roman poet Horace, as an advertising slogan. The Michelin figure was first illustrated by cartoonist O’Galop in 1898, decades before Gray designed the chair.
““I have always admired their balance of sensuality and modernity. Their generous, upholstered forms contrast beautifully with the precision of their metal bases.””
— Iain Watson, CEO and founder of David Collins Studio, quoted by Livingetc
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Edition Details Still Limited
The source report identifies the anniversary finish as a gold leather textile but does not provide a price, release date, production quantity or detailed specifications. It also does not state whether the edition will be available in every market or for how long. Those details should not be inferred from the centenary announcement.
The report describes Aram as the worldwide licence holder and separately notes its exclusive UK supply role and ClassiCon’s sublicence outside the UK. It does not explain the full distribution arrangements or whether the gold edition will be sold through both companies in all territories. The reported use of “leather textile” also does not, by itself, establish the exact material composition.
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Centenary Edition Availability
Shoppers and design professionals can check Aram’s product information for the anniversary edition’s price, launch timing, materials and regional availability. Livingetc’s report confirms the gold-textile finish but does not provide those commercial details.
The chair is already in production through the licensing arrangements described in the report. No additional centenary events, editions or changes to the standard model are confirmed in the source material.
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Key Questions
When was the Bibendum chair designed?
Eileen Gray designed the Bibendum in 1926, making 2026 its centenary year.
Why is the chair called Bibendum?
The name refers to Bibendum, the Michelin Man. Gray’s rounded upholstery recalls the mascot’s shape. Michelin had adopted the Latin phrase “Nunc est bibendum” as an advertising slogan before the chair was designed.
What is special about the 2026 edition?
Livingetc reports that the centenary edition uses a gold leather textile. The source does not give its price, production quantity or exact release date.
Who makes the Bibendum chair today?
According to Livingetc, Aram has produced the chair since the 1970s after securing a licence. Aram is the exclusive UK supplier, and ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK.
Where did Gray use the chair?
Gray used the Bibendum in projects including Juliette Mathieu-Lévy’s Paris apartment and Villa E-1027, her house on the French Riviera, completed in 1929.
Source: rss
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