Jeanne is a minimalist chair created by a collaboration between Vormen, Générale, Elmēs, and Sarah & Charles, forming a group called Chantal. “The goal was to design a chair that encourages flexibility and avoids imposing a fixed orientation,” explains the design team. This philosophical stance materializes through a careful composition of three core elements: a stainless steel frame, a modular seat, and the ingenious multifunctional backrest that defines the piece.

The stainless steel structure provides both visual lightness and structural integrity through cylindrical legs and an open box frame. This architectural foundation accepts various seat options – cushioned, aluminum, or wooden – without requiring any fundamental alterations to the design. This material versatility recalls the experimental seating of the early Bauhaus, where designers like Marcel Breuer explored the possibilities of industrial materials in furniture that could be readily adapted.

But it’s the backrest that represents the true innovation. By thoughtfully narrowing its form and enabling transition into a horizontal surface, the designers have created what might be called a “democratic element” – one that treats its three potential functions (backrest, armrest, and tabletop) with complete equality. This refusal to privilege any single use invites users into an active relationship with the object.

The backrest assembly comprises three laser-cut steel plates – a mounting plate beneath the chair, the central functional element, and the tabletop component. During production, the central piece is tensioned between the others and welded into place, creating a unified structure while maintaining the central element under tension for optimal form stability. This construction method elegantly sidesteps the need for pressmolds, making production both efficient and economical.