Ginger: its origins and design

From the pages of a notebook containing the original sketches and designs for the Ginger chaise longue, dating back to the early 1980s, comes the story of a product the company has chosen to reissue 40 years after its launch.

Antonio Citterio reflects on the fruitful partnership he has enjoyed with Flexform since the 1970s, and explains how the tubular metal structure of the Ginger chaise longue was, to a certain extent, influenced by Bauhaus, Rationalism and the work of René Herbst.

The Ginger chaise longue embodies the essence of a type of furniture inspired by middle-class modernity. Its aesthetic and functional validity remain intact, thanks to the harmonious juxtaposition of the austere metal structure and the soft upholstered cushions.

Appearing throughout the video are striking photographs captured by Gabriele Basilico, renowned Milanese photographer and long-time friend of architect Citterio, with whom Flexform formed an artistic partnership destined to last many years. Through his lenses, Basilico interpreted some of the leading Flexform products, creating images and ad campaigns that, thanks to their bold eloquence, are still alive in the collective imagination.

The video concludes with a reflection on an aspiration shared by many designers – namely, a yearning to achieve the ideal in designing products conceived and engineered to withstand the test of time, like the Ginger chaise longue.