Kiki

The Kiki collection employs oval steel tubing as framework in conjunction with surfaces that display distinctive planes and smooth-edged contours. Kiki was designer Ilmari Tapiovaara’s first series to feature a consistent system of matching parts the collection includes a stool, a bench, a small side table, a lounge chair, and a sofa. The resulting look is iconic in its simplicity. When presented at the Milan Triennale in 1960, the Kiki Chair took the gold medal. Legend has it that a manufacturer approached Tapiovaara asking him to design a product that made use of his surplus of metal tubing. True or not, with the Kiki collection, Tapiovaara announced a departure from his previous work. Kiki is a mannequin, able to be dressed up in numerous ways, to travel effortlessly and assume different personalities. Items from the Kiki family can be teamed in many configurations. Their compact size means they fit naturally into smaller spaces.