Mantilla Sofa Set - Kazuhide Takahama - Simon Gavina

Mantilla Lounge Chair by Kazuhide Takahama for Simon Gavina, Italy, 1960s
Removable Green Chenille Upholstery on Sculpted Padded Core

Designed in the 1960s for Simon Gavina, the Mantilla lounge chair is one of Kazuhide Takahama’s most refined seating designs. A Japanese born designer active in Italy, Takahama combined restraint and softness in a way that feels both architectural and intimate. The design reduces the armchair to a pure low volume over which the textile simply drapes, almost like a garment.

This example is an authentic vintage Simon Gavina edition, not a later reissue. The internal structure, proportions and construction correspond with early production and reflect the subtle balance between sculptural form and relaxed comfort that characterizes Takahama’s work from this period.

The green chenille upholstery enhances the nonchalant character of the design. Its soft directional pile creates a gentle play of light, shifting between deeper and lighter tones depending on the viewing angle. The natural drape and relaxed folds emphasize the textile quality of the piece, giving the chair a presence that is both casual and sculptural.

A rare early vintage example of Takahama’s iconic Mantilla seating design, combining visual softness with essential modernist form.

Technical details
• Designer: Kazuhide Takahama
• Manufacturer: Simon Gavina, Italy
• Period: 1960s
• Materials: Green chenille removable upholstery, padded core
• Condition: Very good vintage condition, minor signs of age consistent with use

Matching 2-seater available.

Lounge chair (1 seat)
• W 35.43 in · D 33.46 in · H 25.59 in · SH 15.75 in · SD 21.26 in
• W 90 cm · D 85 cm · H 65 cm · SH 40 cm · SD 54 cm