ProductsChairsLounge chairsSofasOffice chairsChaises longuesStools & benchesSculpturesConference chairsAirport seatingStorage spaceMicro architectureDining tablesCafé tablesCoffee & side tablesDesksOffice furniture systemsConference systemsLightingClocksDecorative objectsCoat racks & wall shelvesTrays & vesselsNewBestsellerColour & materialAlexander Girard Antonio CitterioBarber OsgerbyCharles & Ray Eames George NelsonHella JongeriusIsamu NoguchiLounge chair finderOffice chair finderGift finderCare & repairCare productsManufacturer warrantyVitra Circle StoresEndless configurations for all needs: Anagram SofaWe have a gift for you!InspirationsLiving roomDining roomHome OfficeChildren's roomOutdoorHome StoriesAugmented RealityColours & materialsWorkspaceFocusMeetingWorkshopClub OfficeCitizen OfficeStudio OfficeDynamic SpacesHospitalityAirportsEducationCo-WorkingHealthcareOur ClientsDestination WorkplaceA case for classicsOffice chairsDancing OfficeHome StoriesAugmented Reality - bring Vitra products into your homeA case for classicsColour & materialAn open house A leading space for a leading art collegeHigh comfort of low energyAn office landscape - without walls or partitionsServicesCare & repairCare productsManufacturer warrantyFAQ and contactInstructionsInstructions for earlier productsConsulting & Planning StudioVitra Circle StoresConsulting & planning in the VitraHausOutdoor care instructionsRepair, maintenance, overhaul at the Vitra Circle Store Campus ProfessionalsCAD dataProduct factsheetsCertificatesBrochuresSustainability reportInstructionsEcology informationpConPlanning examplesColour & Material LibraryCertificates and standardsTo the dealer loginOur ClientsAnagram SofaMikadoTyde 2 on castorsACXDancing OfficeOffice chairsMagazineStoriesConversationsExhibitionsDesignerProject VitraJust Do It!EVER GREENWhy the Eames La Fonda Chair was designedWhen a Sofa is more than just a Sofa: Anagram100% virgin wool – 100% recyclableAn archive is like a time capsuleVitraHaus Loft - A conversation with Sabine MarcelisWalking the talkA 1000 m2 piece of furnitureFrom a toy to an objectA studio visit with Tsuyoshi TaneThe Eames Collection at the Vitra Design MuseumAbout the partnership between Eames and VitraVitra CampusExhibitionsGuided tours & workshopsFood and drinkShoppingActivities for familiesArchitectureYour eventPlan your visitVitra Campus appCampus EventsNewsVitraHausVitra Design MuseumVitra SchaudepotVitra Circle Store CampusOudolf GartenAbout VitraSustainabilityJobs & CareersDesign processThe Original is by VitraHistory - Project Vitra
The Original is by Vitra
When a Vitra object arrives in a home, an office or a public space, it already comes with a long story. One of a designer who, in collaboration with Vitra, starts a seemingly endless development process, filled with trials and errors. One of a manufacturing attitude where the details are not the details, but what makes the quality of your new piece. And you take this tale forward enriching it with the stories of your own space.
Our story began in 1953 when Willi Fehlbaum, the founder of Vitra, discovered chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames on a trip to the USA and decided to become a furniture manufacturer. He met the designer couple in person a short time later and developed a lasting friendship that has shaped our company ever since. Over the past decades, we have worked closely with some of the world’s most important designers and their descendants. These collaborations have led to the production of many classics: furnishings from another era that remain as timely and vital as ever and continue to move and inspire us. As a furniture manufacturer, we maintain a close relationship with our designers – whom we refer to as authors – and the result of these collaborations is always an original. Together with Vitra, our designers dedicate their time, expertise and craftsmanship to the development and launch of new products.
Our story began in 1953 when Willi Fehlbaum, the founder of Vitra, discovered chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames on a trip to the USA and decided to become a furniture manufacturer. He met the designer couple in person a short time later and developed a lasting friendship that has shaped our company ever since. Over the past decades, we have worked closely with some of the world’s most important designers and their descendants. These collaborations have led to the production of many classics: furnishings from another era that remain as timely and vital as ever and continue to move and inspire us. As a furniture manufacturer, we maintain a close relationship with our designers – whom we refer to as authors – and the result of these collaborations is always an original. Together with Vitra, our designers dedicate their time, expertise and craftsmanship to the development and launch of new products.
‘Way-it-should-be-ness. If an object is really well designed, the idea of it having been designed wouldn’t come up at all.’
Charles Eames
Following in the tradition and spirit of Charles and Ray Eames, the sustainability of design is central to all activities at Vitra. The family-run company believes in the power of designs that forgo stylistic trends and eliminate superfluous details. The longevity of Vitra products is the combined result of their design, function and quality. Vitra products are designed and developed in Switzerland. The products are manufactured in Germany and other European countries with EU-sourced components, using materials that are strictly tested for quality and longevity.
Invest in an original, for it will always retain its worth. An imitation will never be anything but a copy, a stolen idea. Appreciate the differences – not just the quality and more obvious variances but also the sensory and emotional appeal of the authentic product. An original is a lifelong companion and may well outlive you to be gratefully received by the next generation. The high quality of the Original products allows Vitra to offer a 10 year guarantee on all of the chair models in the Originals selection.
Invest in an original, for it will always retain its worth. An imitation will never be anything but a copy, a stolen idea. Appreciate the differences – not just the quality and more obvious variances but also the sensory and emotional appeal of the authentic product. An original is a lifelong companion and may well outlive you to be gratefully received by the next generation. The high quality of the Original products allows Vitra to offer a 10 year guarantee on all of the chair models in the Originals selection.
#vitraoriginal
Do you have pictures that you’d like to share with us and the Vitra Community? Just add the hashtag #yesvitra to your photos, so we know it’s okay for us to share them.