Petite Friture Revives René Herbst’s Legendary Sandows Collection
René Herbst is a legend among French designers. An architect, interior designer, set designer and co-founder of the UAM (French Union of Modern Artists) in 1929 alongside Charlotte Perriand and Robert Mallet Stevens, he was a major figure in French modernism. Nicknamed ‘the Man of Steel’ for his extensive use of metal, he championed industrial design and mass production. A pioneer of metallic furniture in France, he designed his first chair in 1927, Sandows, a radical shift from ornamentation to functionalism and industrial aesthetics.
Petite Friture is now reviving the entire Sandows collection. It includes chair No. 212 (on display at the Centre Pompidou, the Arts Décoratifs and the MoMA), chaise longue No. 114 and the armchair with wooden armrests – in accordance with Herbst’s rigorous principles. With their chrome tubular steel frames and elastic straps (sandows), these seats reflect the avant-garde style of the 1930s. Their simple structure, clean lines and ergonomic comfort give them a timeless feel and make them a perfect fit for contemporary interiors. Petite Friture is the only manufacturer to hold the exclusive rights to René Herbst’s Sandows collection. Each piece is signed with a Petite Friture x René Herbst authentication plaque.
At the opening, we met Petite Friture founder and artistic director Amélie du Passage, alongside Carole Baijings, Amandine Chhor, Aïssa Logerot, Benoît Lalloz, Francesca Avossa, and others.
Photos: Ayka Lux
