What began as an ordinary piece of office furniture in 1950s Chandigarh has, over the decades, transformed into a global design icon. Once tucked away in dim government offices, the teak-and-cane chairs designed by Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret today occupy celebrity homes, including that of Kourtney Kardashian.
A Chair Born in Nehru’s Modernist City
Chandigarh, independent India’s first planned city, was envisioned by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as a symbol of modernity. French architect Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret were tasked with shaping its design. While Corbusier built the city’s striking concrete structures, Jeanneret turned his focus to interiors, designing functional yet elegant furniture for government buildings.
Crafted by Local Hands
The iconic teak-and-cane chairs were handmade by local artisans, blending European modernist principles with Indian craftsmanship. Sturdy, practical, and affordable, they filled countless offices, courtrooms, and university halls. For decades, they remained unnoticed, serving clerks, judges, and bureaucrats in the daily hum of sarkari life.
From Obscurity to Global Fame
As government offices modernized in the 1980s and 1990s, thousands of these chairs were discarded as surplus. Many were auctioned off or sold as scrap. International collectors and dealers, however, soon recognized their value. What was once ordinary office furniture became coveted mid-century design, fetching high prices in European and American auctions.
A Symbol of Timeless Elegance
Today, Chandigarh chairs are celebrated as design classics, appearing in museums, art galleries, and celebrity homes. Kourtney Kardashian’s use of the chair in her Los Angeles mansion brought global attention to its understated beauty. Each piece, with its handwoven cane and minimalist form, carries a story of resilience, heritage, and timeless elegance.
From dusty corridors of government offices to the polished floors of luxury mansions, Chandigarh’s chairs embody a journey that bridges India’s post-independence aspirations with global design acclaim.