Airborne International - Pierre Guariche - Sofa - green textile

Rare vintage G10 sofa designed by the French designer Pierre Guariche (1926–1995) for the French furniture manufacturer Airborne, circa 1955. The sofa is a characteristic example of French mid-century modernism from the 1950s, in which Guariche combined functionality with a pronounced, sculptural form.

The sofa features a cleanly designed, low silhouette, a generously upholstered seat and backrest, and the distinctive diagonally placed, geometric armrests. The whole rests on a slim black-lacquered metal subframe with tapered legs, making the relatively voluminous seating visually appear to float slightly above the floor.

The finish in deep green gives the piece a strong and timeless look and emphasizes the characteristic lines of the design. The combination of the green upholstery with the black metal frame is very typical of French design from this period.

The G10 model was designed by Guariche as a modular system, whereby individual seating modules could be joined to form a larger sofa. The model is thus not only aesthetically distinctive, but also illustrates Guariche’s forward-thinking vision of practical and flexible furniture.

Pierre Guariche is among the leading French designers of the 1950s and worked for Airborne, Steiner, Disderot and Meurop, among others. His designs are today collected and traded internationally as important French mid-century design.