Fermob
Fermob is renowned globally for creating outdoor furniture imbued with effortless French style, nowhere better illustrated than its classic Bistro chair.
French outdoor furniture house Fermob’s iconic Bistro chair embodies the company’s approach: a timeless, beautifully designed piece crafted to bring the essence of joie de vivre to outdoor spaces. From its beginnings in 1889 to the present day, the chair has become synonymous with the country’s design community and the French art of living.
The company was founded in Thoissey, a commune in the east of France, by a family of blacksmiths – Fermob is a portmanteau of the French words for iron and furniture. Released in the same year the Eiffel Tower was unveiled, the Bistro chair is a key element in Fermob’s success both at home and abroad, as well as being an enduring emblem of the best in French design.
Even if you don’t realise it, you’ve likely sat in a Bistro chair. The classic seat can be found in such renowned locales as Times Square and Bryant Park in New York City, Marunouchi Street Gallery in Tokyo and Plaza de la Constitución in Mexico City. It’s an omnipresent fixture on restaurant terraces the world over – in fact, cafe owners were among the first to embrace the simple and durable design that is easily folded away after service.
Beyond the Bistro, Fermob has some 100 other collections, all imbued with the same French DNA – joie de vivre evoked through simple, colourful design. The company’s metal outdoor furniture ranges, including the famed Luxembourg, bring life to public spaces globally and to private balconies, decks and gardens from Cannes to Sydney.
While the Bistro chair’s form hasn’t changed since the 19th century, it has been refined over the years to further improve quality and flexibility. It has also spawned a broader collection of outdoor furniture – 10 tables and four chair styles – in more than 25 colours to suit a range of spaces. The Bistro range offers many hue options, everything from Candied Orange and Cactus to Maya Blue and Clay Grey.
The seat’s UV resistance and anti-corrosion measures ensure longevity after years in the elements, making it a heritage piece to be handed down between generations. While the original metal design remains a classic, it has also been reimagined in timber with a metal frame in a vast palette of colours, as well as a leather version with three metal frame permutations.
The Bistro and Fermob’s other collections – including the Luxembourg range – continue to be manufactured in regional France using a combination of machine- and man-made production processes. The pieces appear simple and streamlined, but each element is carefully calibrated to maximise efficiency and impact. For instance, plastic clips enable the easy folding of the Bistro chair and the subtly curved aluminium slats of the Luxembourg elevate comfort.
For more than 130 years, Fermob has brought the French ‘art of living’ to alfresco spaces across the world through vibrant outdoor furniture marked by conviviality and joy.
