The First Evolution of a Design Classic

The very first new edition of Eero Aarnio’s legendary Pastil chair has arrived. The Soft Pastil maintains the iconic silhouette that turned heads in the late 1960s but is now upholstered in carefully selected Kvadrat fabric, marking a significant evolution in the chair’s 56-year history.

While the original Pastil celebrates bold form and futuristic flair, Soft Pastil speaks to today’s design values: comfort, tactility, longevity, and a sense of calm. This contemporary interpretation demonstrates how timeless design can evolve – when the shape of a product is recognizable and functional yet stimulating on its own, it dares to be explored in new materials.

The Soft Pastil is, as the name implies, soft and squishy without losing its fundamental traits as a rocking chair. This transformation represents a dialogue between eras – the same revolutionary form now wrapped in warmth, bridging the gap between 1960s futurism and contemporary desires for comfort and tactile experiences.

The very first new edition of Eero Aarnio's legendary Pastil chair has arrived

The Original Pastil: A Design Revolution

Designed in 1968 for Asko (later produced by Adelta), the original Pastil emerged as a revolutionary fiberglass shell chair with a distinctive round, bowl-like form that appears almost organic. Its seamless construction creates a cocoon-like seat that can rock gently when placed on the floor. The chair’s name comes from the Finnish word for “pastille” or lozenge, reflecting its smooth, candy-like appearance.

The Pastil emerged during Aarnio’s most creative period, shortly after his breakthrough Ball Chair (1963), and quickly won the American Industrial Design Award in 1968, cementing Aarnio’s reputation as a pioneer of plastic furniture design.

Technical Innovation and Versatility

The original chair represented a technical achievement in fiberglass molding, creating a single-piece construction without visible joints. Available in vibrant colors including orange, red, white, green, and black, it exemplified the era’s embrace of synthetic materials and bold aesthetics.

The design offered remarkable versatility – it could be used indoors or outdoors, and even floated on water, making it a playful addition to poolside settings. This multi-functional approach was groundbreaking for its time and remains impressive today.

Design Philosophy: Art Meets Function

Both versions of the Pastil reflect Aarnio’s philosophy of creating furniture that breaks conventional boundaries between art and function. Its sculptural quality makes it as much an art object as a functional seat, embodying the Finnish approach to design that combines practicality with poetic form.

The new Soft Pastil edition extends this philosophy, proving that great design can be reinterpreted for new contexts without losing its essential character. It demonstrates that a truly timeless form can adapt to changing lifestyles while maintaining its iconic identity.

Contemporary Relevance and Collectibility

Today, original Pastil chairs are highly sought after by collectors, while authorized reproductions continue to be produced. The introduction of Soft Pastil reinforces the design’s enduring relevance, showing how a design from 1968 can still inspire new interpretations that resonate with contemporary sensibilities.

The evolution from Pastil to Soft Pastil perfectly encapsulates the Scandinavian design tradition’s ability to combine experimental forms with functional purpose while continuously adapting to changing values – a testament to the power of truly timeless design.

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