Resources
The Elephant Stool by the prolific product designer Sori Yanagi is one of the most famous examples of Japanese post-war design.
Its clear form and functionality are as compelling today as ever. Suited for indoor spaces as well as balconies and gardens, the stackable plastic stool can even be used as portable picnic furniture.
APPLICATIONS: Suitable for outdoor use. Special additives help to prevent colours from fading due to UV radiation. However, if the stool is exposed to sunlight for prolonged periods, the colour may change over time. We recommend limited exposure to sunlight.
Sori Yanagi
Sori Yanagi, born in 1915 in Tokyo, attended art school in the city and worked from 1940 to 1942 in the office of the designer Charlotte Perriand.
In 1952, he founded the Yanagi Industrial Design Institute, which created a prolific number of articles of daily use and furnishings. Sori Yanagi’s organic forms combine western industrial designs with Japan’s native artisanal traditions. This successful synthesis made Sori Yanagi one of the most significant Japanese designers of the post-war era. In addition to furniture, he also designed lighting, glass objects, cutlery, children’s toys, metro stations, cars and motorcycles.
In 1977, Sori Yanagi was named director of the Japanese Folk Art Museum in Tokyo.
He died in Tokyo in 2011.
Swiss manufacturer Vitra’s collections of furniture and lighting bring together the colour, culture and sophistication of the world’s most prominent designers.