160 - Rei Kawakubo (born 1942) Comme des Garçons Chair No.
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Estimate €4,000 - €6,000

Description

Rei Kawakubo (born 1942) Comme des Garçons Chair No. 1 Black lacquered steel Pre-Pallucco Japanese edition Date of creation: circa 1983 A visionary designer and founder of the Comme des Garçons fashion house, Rei Kawakubo occupies a pivotal place in the history of contemporary design. Through her work in fashion, as well as in interior design, furniture and the visual arts, she has been developing a radical exploration of form, function and perception since the 1970s. Chair No. 1 is part of a series of experimental studies conducted in the early 1980s, a period during which Kawakubo applied to furniture the conceptual principles that had made her famous in the world of fashion. The deconstruction of conventional uses, elementary geometry and the challenging of conventions form the foundations of this innovative approach. Crafted from black lacquered steel, the chair comprises orthogonal volumes whose deliberately disrupted arrangement challenges the traditional interpretation of the seat. The introduction of a sloping frame running through the structure transforms the functional object into a true spatial construction, straddling the boundaries of design, architecture and sculpture. Through its apparent simplicity, the piece challenges the very notion of furniture and is part of the most radical design research of the 1980s. Function remains present but takes a back seat to a broader reflection on balance, structure and the occupation of space. This piece belongs to the rare Japanese edition produced prior to its European release by Pallucco. Produced in extremely limited numbers, these early pieces are now the earliest examples of Rei Kawakubo’s experiments in the field of furniture. This model is featured in Rei Kawakubo’s early explorations of furniture design for Comme des Garçons, prior to its European release by Pallucco. Due to its historical significance, rarity and resolutely avant-garde nature, Chair No. 1 stands out as one of the most distinctive creations to emerge from the interplay between fashion, design and conceptual art during the 1980s.

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About the sale Sculptural furniture and functional art

Auction location

Auction time 06/25/2026 at 2:00 PM

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160 - Rei Kawakubo (born 1942) Comme des Garçons Chair No. See original version (French)

160 - Rei Kawakubo (born 1942) Comme des Garçons Chair No.
See original version (French)