{"product_id":"vintage-mahogany-leather-metal-driade-chairs-philippe-starck-aleph-driade-1980s-italy-set-of-4-minimalist-mid-century-modern-furniture-icon","title":"Costes Chairs in Black Leather, Mahogany \u0026 Steel by Philippe Starck for Aleph \/ Driade, 1980s, Set of 6","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eModel · Costes\u003cbr\u003eDesigner · Philippe Starck\u003cbr\u003eManufacturer · Aleph \/ Driade\u003cbr\u003eOrigin · Italy\u003cbr\u003ePeriod · 1980s\u003cbr\u003eStyle · Postmodern \/ Italian Modern\u003cbr\u003eMaterials · Mahogany veneer, painted steel, leather\u003cbr\u003eColour · Mahogany brown, black\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eObject\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Costes Chair is one of Philippe Starck's defining early designs and an object closely connected to the emergence of his international career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned in 1984 for Café Costes in Paris, the chair was conceived specifically for the celebrated interior Starck created for the restaurant. Rather than treating furniture as something separate from the architecture, he designed the Costes as part of the atmosphere of the space itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts construction is immediately recognisable. A curved mahogany veneer shell wraps around the back, enclosing a compact black leather seat, while three slender painted steel legs support the composition below. The unusual three-legged structure was both a visual decision and a practical response to the tightly arranged tables of the café.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe relationship between materials gives the chair much of its character. Warm mahogany forms the architectural outer surface, black leather provides softness at the centre, and the thin steel structure almost disappears beneath them. Seen from behind, the chair becomes an uninterrupted curved wooden volume; from the front, it appears considerably lighter and more open.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a set of six, the repeated mahogany shells create a particularly strong composition around a table. The Costes remains unmistakably of the 1980s, yet its combination of geometry, material and structural economy has allowed it to outlive the period that produced it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDesigner\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhilippe Starck (born 1949) is one of the most influential and prolific designers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in Paris, Starck studied at the École Camondo before establishing his own practice in the late 1960s. His early experiments ranged from inflatable objects to interiors, and by the 1970s he was developing increasingly ambitious environments for Parisian nightclubs and cultural spaces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis international breakthrough came during the 1980s. Starck's work moved freely between interiors, furniture, lighting and everyday objects, often combining highly recognisable forms with an interest in industrial production and accessibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Costes Chair belongs to this pivotal moment. Designed for one specific Parisian interior, it became an independent design icon and helped establish the language that would define much of Starck's subsequent furniture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eManufacturer\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDriade was founded in Italy in 1968 by Enrico Astori, Antonia Astori and Adelaide Acerbi with the ambition of bringing experimentation into industrial furniture production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom its earliest years, the company developed its identity through collaborations with architects and designers rather than through a single stylistic language. Its catalogue brought together figures including Enzo Mari, Nanda Vigo, De Pas, D'Urbino \u0026amp; Lomazzi and Lella and Massimo Vignelli.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the 1980s, Driade's collaboration with Philippe Starck became particularly significant. Through the Aleph division, designs including the Costes helped introduce Starck's increasingly international approach into Italian production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe collaboration produced some of the most recognisable furniture associated with both Starck and Driade during the period, combining experimental forms with sophisticated industrial manufacturing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll four chairs are presented in good vintage condition and retain their original manufacturer's labels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mahogany veneer shells, painted metal structures and black leather seats remain well preserved, showing only light traces of age and use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe leather retains its depth and character, while the wooden surfaces preserve the warm brown-orange tone fundamental to the design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, the set presents exceptionally well, with signs of only minimal previous use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDimensions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWidth · 47 cm \/ 18.5 in\u003cbr\u003eDepth · 54 cm \/ 21.3 in\u003cbr\u003eHeight · 80 cm \/ 31.5 in\u003cbr\u003eSeat height · 47 cm \/ 18.5 in\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIncluded\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe set of six Costes Chairs is accompanied by a Back to the Furniture Certificate of Originality, a Back to the Furniture flyer, a Thank You card and a small gift.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAvailability\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe set is ready to ship within 10 business days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eShipping\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorldwide shipping is available. Every piece is carefully prepared and packed for international transport. Shipping costs are calculated according to destination at checkout, with tracking provided after dispatch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEnquiries\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor questions about the pieces, their condition, shipping, delivery or any other details, please get in touch. Additional information is always available before purchase.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e© Back to the Furniture\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Back To The Furniture","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54538979017041,"sku":"CPSDI1980BORL4","price":4150.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1069\/9351\/6881\/files\/CostesBrown6x1.jpg?v=1788543540","url":"https:\/\/backtothefurniture.co\/products\/vintage-mahogany-leather-metal-driade-chairs-philippe-starck-aleph-driade-1980s-italy-set-of-4-minimalist-mid-century-modern-furniture-icon","provider":"Back To The Furniture","version":"1.0","type":"link"}