Vitra and the Vitra Design Museum pay tribute to his legacy with a year of events, retrospectives, and new editions and interpretations of his iconic projects. Color, experimentation, and formal freedom remain the hallmarks of his vision, strikingly relevant even today.
In the early 1950s, Verner Panton explored the idea of a chair made from a single material, shaped as one continuous piece. By the mid-decade, he had already developed the designs, and in 1958, the first full-scale model was completed. Willi Fehlbaum, Vitra’s founder, showed interest in the project. The decision to produce it came through his son Rolf, who met Panton and was so inspired that he launched further developments.
In the 1960s, this led to the collaboration with Vitra on the creation of the Panton Chair: in 1967, the first cantilevered chair made from a single piece of fiberglass-reinforced polyester was produced. Today, it remains one of the most iconic and recognizable objects of 20th-century design.
The professional collaboration between Verner Panton and Vitra evolved into a lasting relationship with Panton’s family, who chose Basel as their home and where his wife, Marianne, still lives. Panton passed away in Copenhagen in 1998, but the connection with Vitra continues through Marianne and daughter Carin Panton von Halem and their family company Verner Panton Design AG. Besides from The Panton Chair, Vitra’s Panton collection includes the Cone Chair, Heart Cone Chair, Amoebe, Amoebe Highback, Visiona Stool, and Living Tower, produced by Vitra since 2004.
Heart Cone Chair – Anniversary Edition
To mark Verner Panton’s 100th birthday on February 13, 2026, Vitra and Verner Panton Design AG will present an anniversary edition of the Heart Cone Chair in a two-tone version. The contrast between front and back, in two shades of blue, enhances the form and turns the chair into a centerpiece of any space.
In 1957, Panton was commissioned by his father to design an extension for the Kom Igen restaurant in Langesø Park, Denmark. He was given full creative freedom, overseeing every detail: fabrics, rugs, lighting, furnishings, uniforms, and menus. Among the pieces he created was the Cone Chair, an inverted cone with seat, backrest, and armrests integrated into a single upholstered shell.
Verner Panton and the Vitra Design Museum
The Vitra Design Museum holds one of the largest collections dedicated to Verner Panton. The collection supports exhibitions, loans, and publications, always with the approval of Verner Panton Design AG.
In 2000, the museum presented a comprehensive retrospective of Panton’s work, and in May 2026, a new exhibition will open to celebrate the centenary of his birth.
Photos @Verner Panton Design AG
