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Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, designed in 1926, reaches its 100th anniversary in 2026. Aram is marking the centenary with a special edition in gold leather textile; the chair’s distinctive upholstered rings and tubular steel frame remain central to its appeal.
Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, first designed in 1926, reaches its 100th anniversary in 2026, with furniture company Aram marking the milestone with a special edition in a gold leather textile. The chair’s rounded, tyre-like upholstery and polished tubular steel frame have helped it remain a recognizable work of modern furniture design.
The Bibendum is named for the Michelin Man, whose official name is Bibendum. Gray’s design gathers rounded upholstered forms around a metal frame, combining a generous seat with a sculptural outline. The source describes the chair as a playful take on the club chair, replacing conventional wooden legs with slender tubular steel.
Aram has produced the chair since the 1970s, after securing a licence for Gray’s designs in 1973. It is the exclusive UK supplier, while ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK, according to the source. The 2026 anniversary edition uses a gold leather textile; details such as its price, production quantity and availability are not provided.
Gray used the chair in several projects in the 1920s and 1930s, including Juliette Mathieu-Lévy’s Paris apartment on Rue de Lota and her own Villa E-1027 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. The villa, completed in 1929, has a reconstruction of the chair on view, the source reports.
A Century of Sculptural Comfort
The anniversary points to the unusual staying power of a design that is both furniture and a strong visual object. Its rounded upholstery gives it a softer, more playful profile than many modernist pieces, while its tubular steel base keeps the composition visually light. That contrast makes the chair legible in interiors built around different styles and periods.
The centenary also draws attention to Gray’s place in design history. The source notes that her work received broader recognition later in her life and after her death. The Bibendum’s current production depends in part on licensing arrangements established decades after its original design, demonstrating how continued manufacture can keep a historic object in circulation rather than leaving it only in collections or archives.
For buyers and design professionals, the special edition is a new version of an established chair, not a new design. Its significance is the milestone and the renewed visibility it gives Gray’s work. Whether the gold textile changes demand or becomes a lasting finish is not yet known.
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From Gray’s Projects to Production
Gray was an Irish-born designer whose work included the Adjustable Table E1027, the E-1027 villa and the Lota sofa. She opened Galerie Jean Désert in Paris in 1922, and the source describes her as a respected designer whose mainstream success came later than her early creative work.
The Bibendum takes its name from Michelin’s mascot, first illustrated by O’Galop in 1898. The name derives from the Latin phrase “Nunc est bibendum,” which Michelin adopted as an advertising slogan. Gray drew on the mascot’s rounded form, giving the chair a witty reference while using simple geometric shapes and a metal frame.
Early versions were upholstered in fabric or skai, a vinyl made to resemble leather, and are now scarce, according to the source. Production and visibility were limited until Zeev Aram secured the licence in 1973 and brought several of Gray’s designs back into production. The source identifies Aram and ClassiCon as the chair’s current licensees for different markets.
“I have always admired their balance of sensuality and modernity.”
— Iain Watson, CEO and founder of David Collins Studio
Edition Details Still Pending
The source identifies the anniversary finish as a gold leather textile, but does not state the edition’s price, number of chairs, release date or whether it will be sold in every market. It also does not specify whether this finish will remain available after the centenary year.
The source describes Aram as having held the worldwide licence after securing it in 1973, then says Aram is the exclusive UK supplier and ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK. The precise current licensing terms and any differences in regional production are not detailed. Claims about the chair’s continued popularity are based on the source’s design commentary; no sales figures or market comparisons are provided.
Centenary Edition Availability
The immediate next development is the 2026 centenary edition from Aram. Prospective buyers will need further information from the company or its retailers on launch timing, pricing, stock and regional availability, none of which is given in the source material.
The anniversary also puts renewed attention on Gray’s original design and its continuing licensed production. Any further releases, exhibitions or centenary events have not been announced in the material cited here, so it is not yet clear whether the milestone will be marked beyond the special finish.
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?
It is named after Bibendum, the Michelin Man. Michelin adopted the Latin phrase “Nunc est bibendum” as an advertising slogan, and Gray drew on the mascot’s rounded form for the chair.
What is different about the 2026 edition?
The centenary edition is described as using a gold leather textile. The source does not give details about price, production numbers or release availability.
Who makes the Bibendum chair today?
Aram has produced the chair since the 1970s. The source says Aram is the exclusive UK supplier and ClassiCon holds a sublicence outside the UK.
Where did Eileen Gray use the chair?
Gray used it in projects including Juliette Mathieu-Lévy’s Paris apartment and Villa E-1027, her own home completed in 1929. A reconstruction can be seen at the villa, according to the source.
Source: rss
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