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Created in the 1950s, the Tropique Collection of outdoor fur-
niture captures the timeless glamour and exotic luxury of out-
door living on the Côte d’Azur in the mid-20th century. Com-
bining material simplicity with a decadent aesthetic, Tropique
comprises two dining chairs and a dining table. The frame
of each piece is made from stainless steel rods, incorporat-
ing a distinctive statement curve at the feet – a signature of
Matégot’s style and a feature that unites the collection into a
clear and cohesive whole.
To give his furniture a balance of strength, durability, and
apparent weightlessness, Matégot frequently turned to per-
forated metal as a material choice, taking advantage of the
fact it could be bent and shaped like fabric, resulting in light-
weight, transparent surfaces. To create the Tropique Dining
Table, a stainless steel sheet is pressed and welded onto the
frame, providing a solid, functional surface that allows sun-
light to pass through.
Tropique Dining Chairs’ seats and backrests are today made
from a durable yet gently flexible outdoor fabric that is at-
tached to the underside of the curved armrests by a series
of pins. This is a contemporary evolution of Matégot's initial
construction whereby the fabric was woven through holes in
the metal. This maintains the look of the original design while
allowing the upholstery fabric to be easily exchanged. Hung
in a hammock-like manner across the frame, the textile seat
responds to the contours of the body. The backrest is padded
with foam instead of the original horsehair and a loose pillow
added to the seat ensures optimal comfort.
The Tropique Dining Chair is available with black or off-white
powder-coated frames, for durability outdoors, and two up-
holstery options. The option of adding tasseled fringes to the
arms, seat, and backrest introduces a note of playfulness
perfectly in keeping with the design’s laidback poolside char-
acter. Matégot’s assured used of textiles in this collection
offers a hint of his later career, as, having found internation-
al success as a furniture designer, he moved on to become
equally influential as an upholsterer.
Of all the iconic designs conceived by Mathieu Matégot
during his career, Tropique is among those that he loved the
most, having chosen it to furnish his own apartment. Re-
stored and updated, GUBI’s revival of the Tropique Collection
is a timely tribute to one of the most important and distinctive
French designers of the modern age and the natural way to
celebrate his legacy.
Tropique Dining Chair With Fringes
GLAMOUR
TIMELESS
