Originally training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where he studied architecture under the tutelage of Kay Fisker and Kaj Gottlob, Jacobsen was influenced by the rationalist work of the architects Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius. Going on to design ultra-modern buildings such as the Bellevue Teatret near Copenhagen, the National Bank of Denmark and the Royal Danish Embassy in London, Jacobsen eventually turned his skilled hand to furniture design in the 1950s.

Inspired by the bent plywood designs of Charles and Ray Eames, Jacobsen designed the iconic Ant Chair in 1951 and the Series 7 Chair followed in quick succession. Creating the legendary Egg and Swan Chairs for Copenhagen’s SAS Royal Hotel, his designs garner admiration across the world to this day. True icons of mid-century Danish design, Jacobsen’s creations are displayed in the permanent collections at the Vitra Design Museum in Basel, New York’s MoMA and London’s V&A.

Arne Jacobsen's instantly recoginsable Swan Chair is a hero of mid-century design. It is exclusively available at The Conran Shop in Kvadrat's Gentle 2 upholstery, manufactured by Fritz Hansen.

The Swan was crafted using new techniques for its time, with Jacobsen being the first to utilise a strong foam inner shell underneath the chair’s upholstery. Using a unique process, Jacobsen tested and prototyped its shape and form using clay in his home studio.

The chair sits atop a polished aluminium base and its intricate configuration requires bespoke upholstery. This edition boasts Febrik's new wool blend for Kvadrat, specially sourced from The Netherlands and marks the first time that the chair is available to purchase in a velvet finish.