Knoll Handkerchief Chair by Massimo & Lella Vignelli, and David Law

Designed in 1983 by husband-and-wife duo Lella and Massimo Vignelli, the Handkerchief Chair is a masterclass in sculptural restraint. Created for Knoll, it reflects the Vignellis’ conviction that good design should be timeless, minimal, and quietly elegant.

The chair takes its name from the seat’s form: a thin sheet of molded fiberglass-reinforced polyester, draped like a soft handkerchief caught in mid-air. At once delicate and durable, it offers surprising comfort with an almost weightless profile. The seat shell rests on slender tubular steel legs, emphasizing the Vignellis’ ability to reduce a design to its purest expression without sacrificing function.

Like much of the Vignellis’ work, which spans graphic design, interiors, furniture, and wayfinding systems, the Handkerchief Chair embodies a philosophy of disciplined simplicity. It was intended not to shout for attention, but to quietly integrate into any environment, from offices and auditoriums to the home dining room.

Each chair measures 22.5 inches long, 23 inches wide and 29.5 inches tall. They have a seat height of 18 inches, and a seat depth of 19 inches.