French furniture brand Tolix is in the throes of a renaissance, as it approaches its 100th birthday. At Maison & Objet in Paris (7 – 11 September 2023), the brand unveils the first in a series of reissues of historic designs from its extensive archive. The ‘T37’ bistro chair, originally designed in 1937, and the ‘UD’ chair will be revealed in hues from the brand’s new permanent colour chart, along with previously unseen designs.
Tolix: revisiting a cult French brand
Reissue of the ‘T37’ dining chair by Xavier Pauchard, 1937
Established in 1927 in Autun, Burgundy, by the sheet metal craftsman Xavier Pauchard, Tolix pioneered the notion of coating metal with a layer of zinc to protect it from corrosion. Henceforth, furniture designed for both indoor and outdoor use was born, along with a flair for simple, understated designs that were as at home in an industrial loft as they were at a café.
From the Tolix archives: ‘UD2’ in steel and wood, designed by Jean Pauchard, 1958
Tolix was taken under new ownership at the end of 2022, with the goal of reissuing the treasures in its archives as well as continuing to champion the work of a new generation of emerging designers.
Antoine Bejui and Emmanuel Diemoz are the entrepreneurial duo behind this rebirth, having previously worked on the revival of the French fashion house Balmain, where they collaborated with the house’s creative directors – sequentially, Oscar de La Renta, Christophe Decarnin, and Olivier Rousteing – as well as interior designers Joseph Dirand and Studio KO on Bamain boutiques.
Reissue of the ‘UD’ chair
Bejui and Diemoz bring a high regard for French design to Tolix, while undoubtedly looking for a contemporary twist. The brand’s revival not only includes a new artistic direction and brand identity from Atelier Franck Durand, but will also result in a new furniture range, to be revealed at Salone del Mobile 2024 in Milan.
From the Tolix archives: a prototype created by Xavier Pauchard in 1930 of the ‘T37’ chair with perforated steel seat
Reissue of the ‘FT5’ armchair in steel, originally created by Jean Pauchard in 1965, photographed at the Tolix factory in Autun
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