Amazing Grace: FREIFRAU

How to harness the robust, natural qualities of leather while creating furniture that remains elegant, comfortable and highly specifiable? FREIFRAU MANUFAKTUR shows how with its new armchair Grace.

By FREIFRAU MANUFAKTUR and Mareile Morawietz for

FREIFRAU MANUFAKTUR

February 21, 2021 | 11:00 pm CUT

GRACE’s thick, open-pored leather was chosen after an extensive period of research and testing. The chairs surface, despite its robustness and open stitching, remains both soft and elegant

For decades, rumours have continued to persist that Monaco’s Prince Rainier asked for the hand of the beautiful and successful Hollywood star Grace Kelly partly for economic reasons. The principality, which was not significant and in debt at the time, would go on to become a hot spot for high society, a millionaire’s playground on the Côte d'Azur, and this is attributed by some to its association with the American actress’s glamour, fortune and grace.

One thing is certain: few could escape her spell, and so the name ‘Grace’ is still very much associated with the princess. Only Grace Jones, artist and Warhol muse, with her iconic strength, coolness and extroversion, comes close when it comes to ownership of the name in the public consciousness.

With its casual character and natural charm, GRACE lends spaces a particular style while offering the classic, multi-sensual Freifrau experience

So, it is no coincidence that ‘Grace’, with its contrasting connotations, was chosen as the name for Freifrau Manufaktur exciting new chair model. ‘For us, Grace Kelly and Grace Jones are two extraordinary and very sensual women,’ says the designer duo of Birgit Hoffmann and Christoph Kahleyss, ‘our design combines both characters: it is strong and self-confident, yet graceful and gentle.’

The special charm of the Grace model is particularly evident in the unusual contrast between the strong leather and the filigree frame

The special charm of the Grace model is particularly evident in the unusual contrast between the strong leather and the filigree frame. The basis for the design was indeed the natural material and the idea of designing a chair that looks as if thick leather has been casually laid over it. ‘With good design, an idea must always be recognisable,’ Kahleyss states, which may sound simple but yet is challenging every time.

GRACE stands up to everyday life with nobility. The filigree, black frame is powder-coated, and the chair’s leather becomes even more charming with use

To realise the vision of the two designers and at the same time achieve the high seating comfort that is standard at Freifrau, took many attempts. ‘In the first development phase, we had a steep learning curve,’ admits Hoffmann, who has also been assisting Manufaktur founder Hansjörg Helweg as art director since 2011 and working with Kahleyss as a design team since 2009.

Despite its robustness, the buffed surface of the leather is pleasantly soft. ‘It is best when design inspires the user – not only visually, but also haptically,’ Hoffmann states

In addition to being an industrial designer, Hoffmann is a trained ceramist, and, with carpenter Kahleyss, shares a spirit of innovation and thoroughness – from research to implementation. ‘A few strokes on a sheet of paper are enough to understand what the other person means, says Kahleyss, who always finds a way to bring ideas into concrete form, while Hoffmann's energy drives her to explore new boundaries.

Hoffmann & Kahleyss are long-time Freifrau collaborators and are the duo behind the Leya armchair (top), its outdoor cousin Leyasol (above), and the light, comfortable Marla armchair (middle)

Thus, the Hoffmann-Kahleyss designs reliably surprise with details, materials or seeming impossibilities. There are many examples of this at Freifrau such as Marla, Amelie and Leya, whose product families are extremely popular and versatile. Recently, Leya got a sister in Leyasol, which now varies its typical bowl shape with wire. Rethinking the tried and tested is also part of the typical Hoffmann-Kahleyss approach.

‘For Grace, we tried to learn everything about leather until we knew which adjusting screws to turn,’ explains Kahleyss: ‘That took a lot of time, but the knowledge is paying off today.’ During the development process, it was important to extensively test the properties of different types of leather to ensure that the natural material would not lose its shape or beauty through use.

An open-pored, thick aniline leather turned out to be the perfect choice. It comes from the neck area and is considered a waste product – which means it is part of a sustainable cycle and not a farmed product. Despite its robustness, the buffed surface of the leather is pleasantly soft. ‘It is best when design inspires the user – not only visually, but also haptically,’ Hoffmann states.

Birgit Hoffmann and Christoph Kahleyss, who live in Hamburg, have been working together for more than ten years as a design duo specialising in furniture design and interior architecture

The open pores give the natural material an aesthetic patina over time that keeps memories alive. The properties of the leather are excellent for hotels and business premises, but also for private use. Grace lends elegance and liveliness to interior design and works well whether as a soloist or part of an ensemble. In addition, the seating furniture provides extreme comfort through balanced ergonomics.

More than 400 hours of work were necessary to go from the idea phase to today's Grace model. ‘You can't tell by looking at the chair, but it requires very precise work – in all the crafts,’ explains Kahleyss. And he is right: the model looks natural, relaxed and imposing all at the same time, and in all four available leather colours Ebony, Coffee, Cognac and Anthracite – a style icon that knows how to live up to its name.