Rene Herbst style Cord Chair - 1929

René Herbst *1891 Paris - +1982 Paris

After training to be an architect in London, René Herbst settled in Paris and opened an architecture office and manufacturing company in 1919. The years that followed were known as the elastic steel tube's furniture years. This is when Herbst came up with the design for his chair made by roping elastic laces. He was one of the original designers to begin experimenting with these types of materials. This, in turn, earned him the nickname “man of steel”.

In order to counter the excess of the Art Deco style, Herbst helped found the UAM (Union des Artistes Modernes) in 1930. His furniture for Begum Aga Khan was the most important work for Herbst. They helped him realize what quality was about. He was one of the most prominent French modernist of his time.