The Story of a Chair

ferm LIVING in Conversation with Herman Studio

In 2013, Herman Studio introduced the world to the Herman Chair: a modern, functional piece that has since become the forefather of the Herman Series. Since 2015, Herman (and his descendants) have been produced by ferm LIVING. Five years on, we reflect with Helle and Jonas Herman, partners in both business and marriage and the design duo behind Herman Studio, on the journey that we’ve taken together with Herman.

 

“Our intention was to design a chair with an effortless expression that would challenge the construction and strength of the materials,” says Helle. “We wanted to create a design with a simple expression and an easily recognizable design DNA. Moreover, we wanted the chair to be functional.”

 

The merging of functionality and aesthetics has been a particular calling card for the Herman Chair, which is not only stackable – a space-saving benefit – but also has a unique dual-function backrest: “We wanted the chair to be comfortable and have an armrest, but we didn’t want to lock people in a specific sitting position,” Jonas explains. “The chair’s back is very important for the chair’s expression; it’s both soft and light but also exudes a sharp graphic quality that we were looking for. By combining the backrest and armrest function, we were able to increase the functionality of the chair without sacrificing our design aesthetic.”

 

 

 

“We believe that Herman’s simple silhouette ensures that it’s a piece of furniture that can fit into many different contexts.”

 

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It’s now been over four years since the Herman Chair first launched, and yet, it still feels like a fresh and contemporary piece. When asked what it is about their design that gives it that modern but timeless feel, the answer is stunningly simple: “We believe that Herman’s simple silhouette ensures that it’s a piece of furniture that can fit into many different contexts.” Today, the Herman Chair can even be customised to fit your particular taste, no matter how specific. Apart from being available in an array of colours in both a black and chrome frame, ferm LIVING’s customisation concept means that you can tailor Herman even further by choosing from an array of fabrics and materials, including leather, velvet and linen.

 

After five years of a fruitful design partnership between ferm LIVING and Herman Studio, we ask Herman Studio how the experience has been for them. “It has been, and still is, a great partnership with a great deal of respect for each other’s competences,” says Helle. “In particular, ferm LIVING inspires us in the way of colour and materials.”

 

“We have a great respect for ferm LIVING’s design universe,” Jonas adds, “which we would define as soft, clean and contemporary. They have a great ability to present their collections in inspiring contexts and settings that give their products the best possible conditions to become a success.” As for us at ferm LIVING, we couldn’t be happier that Helle and Jonas chose us to carry on the good Herman name, and look forward to doing so for many years to come.

 

EXPLORE THE HERMAN COLLECTION