MZO Chair Collection
Magnus Læssøe Stephensen, 1931
Once the most sold chair in Denmark up until the 60s and might arouse recognition for many. This chair was designed specifically with the ambition to create a chair that working-class Danes could afford.
Crafted in steam bend beechwood
Michael Thonet’s ground-breaking method of steam bending wood was of course the inspiration, but in Magnus Læssøe Stephensen’s version the aim is to make the technique serve not only as a tool to keep the cost down, but also to serve the human need for comfort and modern beauty. Thus Magnus Læssøe Stephensen pulled and slipped both the seat and the back, curved and flattened, refined and rounded, until he ended up with a simple chair with support and curves at the same time.
The MZO Chair is displayed at The Workers Museum in Copenhagen
The chair is crafted in steam bend beechwood and is available with upholstery for extra comfort
ABOUT DESIGNER
Magnus Læssøe Stephensen
To his contemporaries Magnus Læssøe Stephensen was known for his particular style. A warm functionalism with tentacles reaching both Bauhaus and Japanese arts and crafts. He had a flair for the Japanese and ancient take on simplicity, and combined that with local Nordic materials – and it is safe to say that his relentless versions and variations of chairs found their way into many homes, where they have survived for generations.