Verner Panton
1926 – 1998
“Most people spend their lives living in dreary, beige conformity, mortally afraid
of using colours. The main purpose of my work is to provoke people into using their
imagination and make their surroundings more exciting.”
Career
Famed for his furniture and funky interior design Verner Panton’s futuristic vibrant
1960’s style is more popular than ever. Unrestrained from conventional materials
and styles of the era, Verner Pantons child like playfulness gave him licence to
explore new materials and new technologies to create innovative designs in furniture,
lighting, textiles and interiors. His bold colours and fluid organic forms gave
rise to the pop art aesthetic popular during the 60’s.
Graduating from the Royal Danish Academy of Art in 1951 where he studied architecture
Panton began his career in the architectural office of Arne Jacobsen, he himself
a famous furniture designer and architect. Although he only worked for Arne Jacobsen
from 1950 – 1952 Verner Panton said he "learned more from him than anyone else".
The Panton Chair
Designed in 1960 and produce by Herman Miller from 1968 The Panton Chair is Verner’s
most famous chair design and a sixties style icon. Originally called The S Chair
or The Stacking Chair it is now produced under licence by Vitra. This contemporary
chair shot to fame again when British Vogue magazine’s front cover featured Kate
Moss sitting naked on a Panton chair in 1995. Panton was the first designer to make
an injection-moulded plastic chair from a single piece of plastic. It is this playfulness
of form and bold colour and the chairs indestructibility that led Vitra produce
a children’s version called Panton Junior. The Panton Junior Chair is perfect childrens
furniture either for the bedroom, living room, dinning room or as funky garden furniture.
Available in seven vibrant colours this chair is sure to delight any child.
Panton Relaxer
This ergonomically designed Panton Relaxer rocking chair has recently become a firm
favourite as a computer gaming chair, especially among bachelors and teenagers and
as poolside relaxers. Designed in one sweeping curve it simplicity, comfort and
sense of fun would make a great feature in any living room.
Panton Cone Chair
Designed originally for Verner Panton’s parents new restaurant called Komigen it
was spotted by a Danish business man who offered to put it into production. It was
the Cone Chairs distinct style that set it apart from Panton’s previous chairs,
the Bachelor Chair and Tivoli Chair, this chair truly marked the start as Pantons
career as a contemporary furniture designer. The cone chair even caused a small
scandal when Panton sat naked shop mannequins on them for a photographic shoot for
Danish magazine Mobilia in 1961. Verner Panton would not have known then that 34
years later the story would repeat itself when a naked Kate Moss would posse on
his Panton Chair for the cover of British Vogue magazine.
Panton Heart Chair
Based on the success of the Cone Chair, the Heart Chair was designed a year later.
This iconic modern chair, named so because of its heart shaped silhouette, defies
gravity at its base just like the cone chair. Understandably this funky chair’s
most popular colour is red and makes a great feature in any living room or bedroom.
Funky Panton Lighting available to buy include
Panton Flower Pot 1968
Symbolic of the flower power era of the 60’s Pantons flowerpot range is extremely
popular among contemporary lighting enthusiasts. Although some would argue that
the Panton flower pot design is more reminiscent of a spaceship which is also consistent
with the space age era of the 60’s. With his child like imaginary vision, bold simple
shapes and bright colours Panton has created a series of pendant lamps and table
lamps. The range of colours available means that they can suit any interior design
scheme whether you have white pure minimalist interior or a funky psychedelic interior.
Those wishing to create a retro interior should choose orange. The industrial feel
of the polished aluminium lamps are perfect for bachelor pads or futuristic interiors.
The pendant lamps can be used singularly, in a line or grouped at different levels
to create a feature.
Also in the range:
- FlowerPot VP1
- FlowerPot Big VP2
- FlowerPot VP3 - Table lamp
- FlowerPot VP4 - Table lamp
Other Panton lighting available to buy:
- Panton Ball
- Pendant Fun Lamp
- Pendant Moon Lamp
- Panthella Floor Lamp
- Panthella Table Lamp
- Ring Lamp
- VP Globe Pendant
- Panto Pendant
- Pantop Floor Lamp
- Spiral Pendant