Hillestak Armchair by Robin Day – Hille, 1950s

Beech armchair designed by Robin & Lucienne DAY for HILLE. Great Britain, early 1950s.

• A beautiful example, a very early edition in superb condition, stable and solid, original upholstery.
• H 72 CM X D 54 CM X W 48 CM
• Seat height (front/rear) 45/40 CM

Hillestak Armchair by Robin Day for Hille

Designed by Robin Day for the British manufacturer Hille in the early 1950s, the Hillestak chair is among the most iconic creations of post-war British design. Developed in a context of material restrictions still linked to the Utility Furniture Scheme, the model favors a light, robust, and rational construction intended for both communities and domestic environments.

The name “Hillestak” directly associates the manufacturer Hille with the English term “stack,” referring to the model’s stackable design conceived for post-war schools, halls, and public spaces.

The model is distinguished by the use of moulded plywood combined with a solid beech structure, an approach that allowed Robin Day to develop economical furniture while maintaining a particularly elegant and identifiable silhouette.

This armchair version retains the light and functional lines characteristic of the early Hillestak productions while offering a more comfortable and enveloping seat.

Today considered a classic of British modernist design, the Hillestak model remains one of the most important creations associated with Robin Day and the history of the manufacturer Hille.

• Bibliography: Charlotte & Peter Fiell, “1 000 chairs”, Taschen, 1997, model referenced and reproduced on p. 296