Design maverick Verner Panton (1926-1998, Danish) is renowned for his shocking use of colour and outlandish designs that captured the heart of the 1960s and 70s. Convinced that people needed to make their surroundings more interesting, he produced imaginative, radical furniture with illustrious curves and experimental materials. Timid folk, steer clear.
What’s he famous for?
"I can't bear to enter a room and see the sofa and coffee table and two armchairs, immediately knowing that we are going to be stuck there for an entire evening," Panton once said. And he did his absolute best to turn this around. He played with a mix of unusual materials like foam, perspex, rubber and springs, and re-imagined form, while his op-art patterns and geometric shapes defined his eccentric style.
What should I buy?
First known for his cone chair series(£1354 from Nest), it was his S-shape Panton Chair (£162, Heals) that took centre stage as the first cantilevered, stackable chair made out of a single piece of moulded plastic. It still commands a huge following, and Vitra launched a re-edition of the chair in 1990. IKEA began a Panton revival when they reproduced his Vilbert Chair in 1994.
