William Sawaya for Sawaya & Moroni.

WILLIAM SAWAYA (Beirut, 1948) for Sawaya & Moroni.
Pair of “La Belle” chairs. Italy, 1990s.
Chrome-plated metal and bentwood.
Bears the designer’s mark.
Vintage piece. Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 80 x 49 x 64 cm (x2).
Pair of “La Belle” chairs, designed by William Sawaya for Sawaya & Moroni, Italy, 1990s. A unique example of Italian postmodern design, characterized by a sculptural and experimental approach to furniture.
The chairs combine a streamlined tubular chrome-plated metal frame with a seat and backrest made of bentwood in a dark finish. Particularly striking is the sinuous, organic profile of the wood, which extends beneath the seat to form a strongly sculptural element, with hallmarks of light, geometric lines in the metal frame.
The “La Belle” model reflects William Sawaya’s postmodern and avant-garde design language, in which furniture transcends its function to take on a distinct artistic presence. A representative pair of late 20th-century Italian designer furniture.
William Sawaya graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts in Beirut. Sawaya studied in Paris and Milan, where he gained experience in the field of furniture design. In 1978, he moved to Italy and, together with Paolo Moroni, founded the architecture and design studio Sawaya & Moroni. In 1984, the two founded the contemporary furniture firm Sawaya & Moroni. Occasionally, Sawaya also designs for other companies and institutions, such as Swissair, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum, and Heller. His professional work spans France, Italy, Greece, Japan, and the United States, and his designs have been featured in books and magazines specializing in design and architecture.