Vitra
Design house Vitra has garnered international recognition for more than 70 years — the Swiss family-owned furniture company has outfitted public spaces as well as residential properties and offices worldwide. It has been a proponent of modernist design since the 1950s. While the brand is heralded for its collaborations with mid-century modern icons such as Verner Panton, Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard and others, Vitra’s German campus is also home to buildings designed by legendary architects Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry. Among them is the Vitra Design Museum, an independent cultural institution that displays two centuries of design today.
Vitra was established in Weil Am Rhein, Germany, in 1950 by husband and wife team Willi and Erika Fehlbaum. On a trip to New York several years later, Willi Fehlbaum encountered the work of design polymaths Ray and Charles Eames in a furniture store and immediately knew that he had found his bliss.
In 1957, Vitra entered into a licensing agreement with Herman Miller, which saw the company producing designs by George Nelson, the Eameses and others. Later, Vitra partnered with Verner Panton and created the Panton chair, which was the first chair ever crafted from a single piece of molded plastic (it was also the first piece to be independently developed by Vitra). After 27 years of establishing the Vitra brand, the Fehlbaums passed control to their two sons, Rolf and Raymond Fehlbaum.
When a fire destroyed the factory in 1981, the brothers developed the Vitra Factory Campus, subsequently taking the opportunity to redirect the architectural landscape of the company. They created a masterplan with Nicholas Grimshaw, and together they erected four buildings in just a few short years.
In 1988, with the passing of Ray Eames and the disbandment of the Los Angeles Eames office, Rolf and Raymond acquired the furniture design portion of her estate, including the Eames prototypes and experimental models, housed today in the Vitra Design Museum.
Rolf and Roy opened the Vitra Design Museum in 1989. This began a period rich with design relationships, including collaborations with Antonio Citterio, Jasper Morrison, Maarten van Severen, Philippe Starck, Alberto Meda and others.
In 2012, leadership passed to Nora, the third generation of the Fehlbaums. Nora Fehlbaum has, like her grandparents, expanded the company and brought it into the 21st century with the acquisition of Finnish furniture manufacturer Artek. Nora has turned the company’s focus to sustainability yet still maintains its international and cultural relevance legacy.
Find a collection of Vitra lounge chairs, tables, side chairs, sofas and other furniture on 1stDibs.
| Average Sold Price |
| $2,308 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
Early 2000s German Mid-Century Modern Vitra
Plywood
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vitra
Aluminum, Chrome
1940s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vitra
Steel
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vitra
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Vitra
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary German Mid-Century Modern Vitra
Steel
1990s Polish Modern Vitra
Wood
Late 20th Century German Modern Vitra
Steel, Chrome
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- What is Vitra?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 22, 2024Vitra is a Swiss family-owned furniture company. The husband-and-wife team, Willi and Erika Fehlbaum, established Vitra in Weil am Rhein, Germany, in 1950. For more than 70 years, it has outfitted public spaces as well as residential properties and offices worldwide. While the brand is heralded for its collaborations with mid-century modern icons such as Verner Panton, Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard and others, Vitra's German campus is also home to buildings designed by legendary architects Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of Vitra furniture.
- Who makes Vitra?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Vitra is a furniture design company that was founded in 1950 by Willi and Erika Fehlbaum. Today, Vitra products are designed in collaboration with independent designers, architects and graphic artists and manufactured by the company. Shop a collection of Vitra furniture from top sellers on 1stDibs.
- Is Vitra a good brand?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024Yes, Vitra is a good brand. Since the 1950s, the Swiss furniture company has partnered with iconic designers, such as Verner Panton, Charles and Ray Eames and Alexander Girard, to create pieces that boast intelligent and visually appealing designs. Online reviewers consistently praise the quality of Vitra's materials and craftsmanship. Shop a variety of Vitra furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022In Vitra's collection of home furnishings, RAR means the rocking armchair rod base. It refers to wooden rocker arms with angled metal rod legs. Vitra adds them to a number of plastic chairs originally designed by Charles and Ray Eames to create rocking chairs. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Eames furniture.