Hand Sewing of Egg Chair at Singapore Indesign 2014
10 October 2014, Singapore - A well-dressed crowd of mostly designers, architects and design aficionados swooped into the Republic of Fritz Hansen flagship store on 4 October for a rare treat: they were there to watch the on-the-spot making of an Arne Jacobsen Egg chair, hand sewn with impeccable craftsmanship, right before them by an original Danish master, Hans Mannerhagen, who was in town for the event that was part of Singapore Indesign 2014.
The chair was brought in especially for the event, an annual highlight of the design calendar in Singapore to be dressed for the first time in 'Sonar 2', a unique fabric from a special collection created by leading European textile brand Kvadrat and celebrated Belgian fashion designer Raf Simons, well-known as creative director at Dior. Mannerhagen was there from 10am to 6pm on that day to display his virtuoso skills and experience hand stitching one of the one of the most iconic pieces in modern design history. For serious furniture devotees, this was a thrill not easily forgotten since not only is this the only Egg of its kind, it was made on-the-spot rather than in the traditional workshops.
The 1,000 visitors who attended Singapore Indesign 2014 at the W. Atelier got a first-hand, up-close look at the quality finishing and craftsmanship involved in making a single Egg chair. It was an educational experience in learning to distinguish a genuine article from the countless replicas in production. Guests were also treated to cookies in five different flavours, baked right in the W. Atelier showroom, a departure from the usual canapés and cocktails.
The finished masterpiece is currently on sale and available for viewing in the showroom until end October, for purchase at $30,000 (before GST). All proceeds from the sale of this exceptional creation will go to the charity organisation of choice The live demonstration took place on 4 October 2014 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Fritz Hansen Flagship Store located at Level 1, 75 Bukit Timah Road.
