On This Day in 1926

With its simple swoop of plastic and singular burst of color, Verner Panton’s 1960 “S Chair” is an indisputable design classic. Familiar though it may be now, Denmark-born Panton’s vivid color schemes and psychedelic shapes marked a revolutionary reaction against the Scandinavian penchant for understatement and swathes of beige. It is an aesthetic that became the hallmark of 60s interiors, and has yet to be discontinued––thanks in no small part to stylish Swiss furnishing manufacturer Vitra, who in addition to the S Chair, produces Panton’s V-shaped Cone Chair and playful Living Tower lounger. “[Panton] was very radical in his views but very interested in the discipline of design and the technical aspects,” says Vitra’s Director of Design Eckart Maise. “His stylistic expression is not just pop or 60s—it’s much more than that.” Frequent NOWNESS contributor Matthew Donaldson photographed the miniature version of Panton's signature chair taped to a window (nodding to another timeless design, the Post-it), for the exclusive image above.