The Vitra Panton Chair: its history and how it differs from the Classic

A chair drawn in one continuous line

Seen from the side, the Panton Chair runs from the backrest through the seat into a broad base. The Danish designer Verner Panton explored the idea of a plastic cantilever chair in the late 1950s. Vitra dates the start of their collaboration to 1963 and the first production series to 1967. The curved profile gives you a way to read that history in the object itself: the shape carries the seat forward without a separate frame.

Matte Panton Chair or glossy Classic?

The material is the clearest distinction between the two current Vitra versions. The matte Panton Chair is made of polypropylene coloured throughout. Vitra presented that version in 1999 after developing it with Panton. The Panton Chair Classic uses rigid polyurethane foam with a glossy lacquer. Look at how a window reflects across the backrest. The glossy finish brings out a sharp highlight along the curve, while the matte surface gives the colour a softer appearance.

Read the exact edition before choosing

The Vitra chair on Selezio is the matte polypropylene version pictured on the terrace. If you are comparing listings or considering a second-hand chair, look for the edition name and material in the description. For a dining table, check the clearance below the top and how far the chair will project into the walkway. A side photograph at table height helps you judge the curve in context, especially when several chairs are grouped together.

Continue your discovery

• Discover Vitra
• Explore the Panton Chair