Eileen Gray and the Bibendum Chair

In our Design History Series we highlight iconic women in design history and their innovative work. The historic contributions of women to design are many, and we aim to increase the awareness of these contributions in order to counteract a general trend of underrepresentation. In this issue we celebrate Eileen Gray, an Irish designer and architect who transformed the principles of modern design.

Interior Decadence

Eileen Gray, born in Ireland in 1878, was a pioneering figure in modern design. She studied fine art before undertaking an apprenticeship in a London lacquer workshop. Gray moved to Paris and swiftly established herself as a leading designer of lacquered screens and decorative panels. Her interior design style was modern and decadent, featuring luxurious, theatrical touches and unexpected materials. Gray exhibited chrome, steel tube, and glass furniture in 1925, well ahead of her design contemporaries Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer. 

At 46 Gray took up architecture, where her style embodied avant-garde modernism, departing from the rigid rationality of architectural contemporaries like Le Corbusier. Gray’s approach to modernism prioritized lived experiences, featuring personal, bespoke touches that spoke directly to the needs of the client. Like Charlotte Perriand, she felt that architecture and furnishings should be developed in tandem to create a harmonious home.

Totally Tubular

One of her iconic creations is the Bibendum Chair, a timeless classic from the 1920s. Designed specifically for lounging and socializing, the Bibendum Chair features a distinctive back and armrests composed of two semi-circular, padded tubes encased in black leather. The name “Bibendum” was inspired by the Michelin Man, a character of stacked tires created by French artist Marius Rossillon. The chair was commissioned by French hat designer Madame Mathieu Lévy, for whom Gray redesigned an apartment in Paris. The Bibendum Chair, along with other furnishings, rugs, and lamps, became a highlight of the project.

Constructed with a polished, chromium-plated stainless steel tube frame—a groundbreaking material at the time—the Bibendum Chair was unusually large. The frame featured beechwood and rubber webbing for added comfort. Gray intentionally opted for plain coverings to maintain a simple aesthetic, complementing the bold art that shared the space. The success of the design instilled confidence in Gray, prompting her to open her own gallery in 1922.  The Bibendum Chair would go on to be featured in a number of Gray’s interior projects.

The Bibendum Chair marked a departure from Gray’s earlier traditional work, aligning with the modernist movement. The Bibendum Chair continues to be celebrated as a design classic though, during Gray’s lifetime, her success was modest. Her legacy was overshadowed by Le Corbusier, who famously painted murals in the nude all over E-1027, a brilliant house designed by Gray with which he was obsessed and which was often misattributed to him (and in front of which he drowned). Only in her nineties did Gray receive international acclaim for her contributions to architecture and design. She passed away in Paris in 1976, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and timeless design.

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