The timeless appeal of Hans J. Wegner’s Wishbone chair by Carl Hansen & Son [AD]

Design classics endure and stand the test of time because they remain as relevant as the time when they were first conceived. A true design classic has timeless appeal because it can cross eras, defy trends and feel at home in almost any style of interior. Hans J. Wegner’s CH24 Wishbone chair for Carl Hansen & Son is one such design. It’s been in continual production for 70 years and has never gone out of fashion. The Wishbone chair has an instantly recognisable form – you might not necessarily know who designed it or where it came from (although if you’re a design lover you most certainly do!), but you will know that characteristic Y-shaped back and sculptural curved back. 

For 2020, Carl Hansen & Son has given the Wishbone chair has a fresh new look. In celebration of Wegner’s 106th birthday, London-based designer Ilse Crawford and her multidisciplinary practice Studioilse have reimagined the iconic design in a rich, luxurious, glossy navy blue. The limited edition release provides a bold counterpoint to the classic wooden finish; the deep, moody hue contrasting with the tactile, hand-crafted woven seat. 

For a while now I’ve dreamt of one day owning a Wishbone chair. I even have a poster of it hung up over the dining table (a present from my design loving friend Hannah). So it feels incredibly fortuitous to now have the real deal sitting here; the silhouette brought to life so it can be appreciated and enjoyed everyday. Even better, when it’s been reinterpreted by my favourite contemporary designer. I’m literally Ilse Crawford’s biggest fan – I interviewed her a few years back for a magazine and really connect with her thoughtful, humanist approach, putting the user at the centre of everything she does. I think Wegner – a designer whose unwavering curiosity about the potential of wood allowed him to push the boundaries of this natural, organic material and create simple furniture with form and function – would have approved.

[AD – this post is part of a paid partnership with Carl Hansen & Son]

A short history of the Wishbone chair

One of five chairs designed for Carl Hansen & Son, the Wishbone chair was first conceived by Wegner in 1949 and put into production in 1950. Wegner, a cabinetmaker by trade, was inspired by portraits of Danish merchants sitting in wide, rounded chairs from the Chinese Ming Dynasty. For the Wishbone chair, he married the back- and armrest into a single, steam-bent curve, and supported it with the Y-shaped back that gives the design its nickname. 

Still made in Denmark today, the Wishbone chair is formed of 14 different parts that take three weeks to prepare and assemble. The production process involves 100 steps, from steam-shaping the backrest to hand-weaving the seat with approximately 120m of paper cord. And it’s all done by hand by skilled craftsmen – the seat alone can take them one hour to make. 

Ilse Crawford reimagines Hans J. Wegner’s Wishbone chair in bold blue

Working closely with Carl Hansen & Son, Ilse Crawford took inspiration from Wegner’s love affair with Asian design history, a fascination that helped first inform the design’s classic shape. The limited-edition chair is available for the month of April from the 2nd April – Hans J. Wegner’s birthday. 

‘The blue refers to the colour, which has been so much a part of Chinese culture: from the blue and white china that obsessed the world for so many centuries, to the dark blue of indigo textiles,’ says Crawford, ‘While the high gloss finish references the traditional Chinese lacquer finish.’

Each chair comes with a small brass plate secured to the frame, engraved with Wegner’s signature and date of birth. 

But why choose a design classic?

– A design classic will retain its value, unlike cheaper mass-produced items. A limited edition could even gain value in the long term as it becomes a rare and much sought after piece

– A design classic is built to last – Carl Hansen & Son estimates that the Wishbone chair’s woven seat has a life cycle of around 50 years

– A design classic is timeless and will still appeal in decades to come – you can pass it onto the next generation to enjoy and keep

– A design classic is made with a meticulous attention to detail, it will have been refined and perfected over the years and decades since it was first conceived. Many designers from Wegner’s time would work closely with joiners and manufacturers to carefully hone the design, taking away any unnecessary details and ensuring the piece worked on both a functional as well as an aesthetic level. Wegner was such a perfectionist, he moved in with the Hansen family on the Danish island of Funen to monitor every step of the making process of the Wishbone chair.

– There’s an element of trust when buying a design classic – you know that what you’re buying is authentic, well crafted and has already stood the test of time

– Buying a design classic can be considered as a sustainable choice – still made in its country of origin, a well-crafted design classic will stay with you for years to come and won’t need replacing, unlike a lesser design that you might get bored of

What do you think of this new version of the Wishbone chair? Do you have a design classic you love and cherish at home?