Heart Cone Chair Anniversary Edition – Photos are by Vitra.
Design. To celebrate what would have been Verner Panton‘s centenary on 13 February 2026, Vitra and Verner Panton Design AG are releasing a limited edition of the Heart Cone Chair that’s bound to turn heads. This special two-tone version plays with contrasting shades of blue across the front and back, amplifying the drama of its much-loved sculptural design.
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The story begins in 1957, when Danish architect and designer Verner Panton took on a rather special commission from his father: reimagining the extension of the Kom Igen restaurant nestled in Langesø Park, Denmark. With complete creative licence, Panton orchestrated every detail—textiles, carpets, lighting, furniture, even the staff uniforms and menus. Amongst this carefully curated collection emerged a standout: the Cone Chair, with its inverted-cone silhouette and upholstered shell that seamlessly wrapped around to form the seat, backrest, and armrests.
Before long, Panton refined his vision, giving birth to the Heart Cone Chair. Its distinctive heart-shaped backrest wasn’t just visually arresting—it cleverly balanced comfort with ease of movement whilst creating an utterly memorable profile. Here was Panton’s fascination with geometric forms meeting his desire to inject genuine emotion into functional design. Both chairs quickly ascended to icon status, becoming synonymous with Panton’s bold, unmistakable design language.
Fast-forward to the early 1960s, when Vitra joined forces with Panton to realise his ambitious concept: a single-piece, cantilever chair crafted from one material. The groundbreaking Panton Chair emerged from this collaboration—and the partnership has flourished ever since. Today, Vitra continues working closely with the Panton family and rights holder Verner Panton Design AG, thoughtfully stewarding and evolving the visionary designer’s legacy for contemporary audiences.
With its playful two-tone blue palette and that unmistakable heart-shaped silhouette, the anniversary edition of the Heart Cone Chair invites you to fall in love with mid-century modernism all over again—proof that great design never goes out of style.
All photos are by Vitra.
