&tradition

RFH RD7 Armchair natural wood / Robin Day, 1951 - Upholstered seat

Robin Day (1915 - 2010) is one of the most influential British designers of the 20th century. Working as a duo with his wife Lucienne Day in the 1950s, Robin Day overturned the traditional, bourgeois vision of furniture by focusing on functionality. Working in a post-war context, he designed furniture that was both economical and practical: innovative, compact and stackable, that could fit into small spaces.

In 1948, Robin Day won first place in the International Low-Cost Furniture Competition at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The competition aimed to explore the potential of affordable Molded plywood in the construction of low-cost furniture suitable for compact living spaces. Thanks to this award, Robin Day made a name for himself and received a large number of orders.

The RFH Armchair is part of a famous collection designed to furnish an iconic building: the Royal Festival Hall, a musical and cultural multi-complex in London built as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951. The iconic RFH collection is reissued by &tradition in close collaboration with the Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation.

Robin Day's RFH armchair features a slightly curved backrest and outward-sweeping armrests. This striking wing shape is achieved through a pressure-molding process. Made from two different types of wood, the Shell is crafted in Walnut and Beech veneer. This two-tone appearance gives it an original, contemporary look. Three flat-head brass screws secure the black tubular steel legs to the chair back, adding an elegant detail. The padded seat ensures excellent comfort.

The RFH Armchair was considered a revolutionary piece of design at the time of its creation. Its singular shape was radically different from what was available on the market at the time. The RFH collection is part of the Mid-Century style that emerged in the USA in the 1940s. Efficient, functional and elegant, this pared-down style was a reaction to the opulent, busy interiors of the decades that preceded it.

In detail:

• Variation : Beige Fabric (Hallingdal 227) / Walnut & Beechwood

• Brand : &tradition

• Designer : Robin Day

• Type : Armchair

• Colour : Two-tone Shell: inside Walnut / outside Beechwood - Seat: beige fabric (Hallingdal 227) - Black Base, legs

• Material : Seat shell and backrest: layers of pressed Walnut and Beech veneers - HR foam padding - Covered in Kvadrat Hallingdal fabric (70% pure new wool and 30% viscose) - Legs: powder-coated steel - Brass flat-head screws - Plastic glides

• Dimensions : W 58 x D 51.5 cm x H 78 cm - Seat: H 46 cm - Armrests / H 66 cm
• Weight : 16.5 lb
• Characteristics : Designed in 1951 by Robin Day (1915 - 2010), one of the most influential British designers of the 20th century - Design icon - Upholstered seat - FSC-certified wood