The ICON | Cab Chair

Part of the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art’s (MOMA), it followed from a one-man show on Bellini’s work a decade after it was designed in 1977. In tan or black saddle leather, it has been a constant hit worldwide, whether used for a new contemporary home, a period dwelling or a commercial fit-out.

Produced by Cassina and allegedly the first chair to feature a freestanding leather structure, the Cab Chair includes 16 pieces of saddle leather. So, like couture, this chair is often likened to ‘skin’ covering ‘bones’.

While Bellini is revered worldwide and is a recipient of numerous accolades, including winning the prestigious Golden Compass Award eight times, he has made a few disparaging remarks in his time. One quoted in Catherine McDermott’s book, 20^th Century Design being, “To be a good furniture designer, you have to be an architect. Everything meaningful that’s been designed has been by meaningful architects”. Many non-architects who have designed iconic pieces would certainly take umbrage at this!

Architect Stephen Jolson has a substantial collection of  Cab Chairs in both his Prahran home and in his office directly below. There are 28 in total, including an extruded one that takes the form of a two-seater bench. There are six chairs on either side of his dining table, a 3.6-metre-long antique timber table. And in his office, there are the 10 Cab Chairs,  placed around a Cassina Labarca table in his boardroom and another five around a circular table.

Stephen was first introduced to the Cab Chair by his grandmother, who was among the first to purchase the chair when it was released in 1977. “She bought them for her dining table, all in a natural tan hide,” Stephen says, whose chairs are all in black leather. “My grandmother still has an amazing eye for contemporary design,” he adds.

For Stephen, the Cab Chair remains “timeless, robust and gets better with age,” and he loves the rich patina and the way these chairs soften over time. Any marks or blemishes on the leather are also enjoyed, as much as the comfort of sitting in them. “The marks tell a story, just like the few indentations in my dining table,” he says.

As with many iconic designs that move forward, and are reinterpreted and reimagined, Bellini’s Cab Chair has recently taken on a new look. The leather now comes in a range of colours from dark green and deep red to grey, along with the classics such as tan and black. But the leather is slightly distressed or faded, with a hand-painted effect. “It’s a lovely transition while still maintaining its iconic form,” Stephen says, who continues to admire his Cab Chairs 15 years after they were first purchased.