This Gio Ponti-Designed Classic Just Got Released With A Surprising Update
When architect Gio Ponti designed the Dezza armchair in 1965, he couldn't have known that it would change the direction of Italian manufacturer Poltrona Frau, founded in 1912, for good. The seat's strong stance and modernist lines, softened by gently curved armrests, represented a forward-thinking dynamism that would become characteristic of the storied manufacturer. In production since it was first introduced, the Dezza today remains as relevant as ever.
To celebrate that legacy, Poltrona Frau has introduced the Dezza 60th Anniversary Limited Edition, featuring sustainable Pelle Frau® Impact Less upholstery in a motif of 26 hands in blue and white. Based on an original illustration by Ponti himself, sourced at auction and acquired from a private Italian collector, the eye-catching pattern makes the most of a unique opportunity to commemorate the chair's anniversary with the support of the Gio Ponti Archives.
"This collaboration not only honors the legacy of Gio Ponti, but also enriches the narrative surrounding this iconic piece," says Nicola Coropulis, Poltrona Frau CEO. "We have chosen this never-before-seen illustration not only because it reflects the numerology of the number five—representing the fingers of a hand and aligning with the theme of our new collection, Five Seasons, to be unveiled during Milan Design Week 2025—but also because the theme of hands, so dear to Ponti, resonates deeply with our core values."
The colors, Panna and Iris, are drawn from the interiors that Ponti created for the Hotel Parco dei Principe in Sorrento, Italy. The hands themselves each have their own names and identities, such as "the half-gloved hand" and "the fruity hand," lending the piece a sophisticated yet playful air that speaks to Ponti's ability to so accurately evoke the artisan mastery that goes into each Poltrona Frau piece, then as now. Available in a limited run of just 60 individually-numbered pieces, the Dezza 60th Anniversary edition is in select stores and online now through April 1, 2025.
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