The AA In 2017, Le Figaro headlined: 'certainly the most copied armchair in the world': it's a steel wire set in volume in a unique paradox of simplicity and complexity, onto which a cover is placed to sit. When it entered the Airborne catalogue in 1951, the covers were made of leather, then linen and cotton, with the famous central white seams that would become the brand's emblem: they changed with the seasons, tastes, and trends, contributing greatly to the attachment and notoriety of this armchair. Today, more than 60 cover references are available for sale.
Airborne regularly takes up the challenge of haute couture, collaborating with brands renowned for their quality and high standards. These projects reinforce the synergy between the publishing house and its network of French manufacturers, while expanding its skills: Dior, Jérôme Dreyfuss, and now Jean Charles de Castelbajac.
'Airborne could be translated by "born in the air" which reminds me irresistibly of the parachute side of the AA chair. That inspired me to draw “the flight of the angel” on the cover. I loved airborne very early on, it’s designs and its out of place publicities, today reinvented Airborne x jcc it’s a functional and comfortable poem,' Jean Charles de Castelbajac says.
'For 50 years, Jean Charles de Castelbajac has been an agitator of French culture: Fashion, lifestyle, collages, furniture... Everything that passes through his hands is enriched with poetry, thanks to his limited colour palette and boundless imagination. Through his mischievous blue eyes, he shakes up the forms of yesterday while respecting history and writes "our world of tomorrow". We wanted to entrust him with a white cover and a few pencils .... Here's the take-off he's come up with... it's sensitive, poetic and quirky, just the way I like it, says Airborne manager Christine Prévert.
In 2024, the company also decided to reissue the structure of the AA in a single piece and in several colours.
About Airborne
Airborne is a company that was created in 1951 by Charles Bernard. 200 emblematic models leave the Paris production workshops. Pierre Guariche, Olivier Mourgue, Danièle Quarante and Yves Christin, among others, contributed to the company's international reputation. In 1938, 3 designers: Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy, Juan Kurchan and Antonio Bonnet designed the BKF or N°198 armchair. It was an immediate success. They had just created one of the icons of contemporary design. Charles Bernard was quick to grasp the concept, publishing it in 1951 under the name AA for the French and European markets.
More information:
Airborne
www.airborne.fr
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