Black Iron Metallic Moon Armchair by Tokujin Yoshika for Moroso

Born in 1967 in Saga, Japan, designer Tokujin Yoshioka studied and worked under both designer Shiro Kuramata (1987) and fashion designer Issey Miyake (beginning in 1988) before launching his own studio, Tokujin Yoshioka Design, in 2000. Yoshioka’s ongoing collaborative relationship with Miyake has resulted in multiple shop designs and installations.

Regarded as one of Japan’s most important contemporary designers, Yoshioka is known for subtle, ethereal, and emotionally evocative work that often blurs the lines between design and art. His designs span the arenas of accessories, furniture, large-scale installation, and beyond. His projects are the result of intensive research, often incorporating experimental technology.

Yoshioka's breakout design was the 2001 Honey-pop paper chair. Since that time, his client list has grown to include Hermes, BMW, Lexus, Moroso, Cartier, Swarovski, Kartell, KDDI and others. Yoshioka’s pieces are included in the permanent collections of the world’s most respected museums, including, among others, the Museum of Modern Art New York, the Vitra Design Museum, the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Udine, Italy-based Moroso was founded as a small-scale, artisanal upholstery company in 1952 by Agostino Moroso, who served as director until the 1990s. At that time, Agostino’s children, Roberto and Patrizia Moroso took over and began to transform the traditional, regionally-focused family business into the innovative, internationally renowned furniture manufacturer it is today. In the role of Creative Director, Patrizia Moroso in particular has not only reinvented her company’s mission but also has had a lasting influence on 21^st-century design discourse through her frequent, high profile collaborations with some of the world’s most talented designers. In 1988, while still working under her father, she invited Israeli-British designer Ron Arad to produce his now-iconic Big Easy Chair, which helped to launch his career and set Moroso on a path to become one of the biggest players in contemporary design.

Moroso defines its approach to design as a laboratory for experimentation that underscores the value of communication, differentiation, and diversity. The values embraced by the brand are visible in the daringness of their lines of sofas, chairs, tables, accessories, and more. Highlights from the Moroso collection include Australian designer Marc Newson’s Gluon series (1993), Spanish artist Javier Mariscal’s Los Muebles Amorosos series (1995), British designer Tom Dixon’s Serpentine Sofas (2003), British designer Ross Lovegrove’s Supernatural Chairs, Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka’s Bouquet Chairs (2008), Japanese studio Nendo’s Kub Tables (2009), as well more recent additions, such as Arad’s unconventional Glider Sofa (2015) and architect David Adjaye’s Art Deco-influenced Double Zero Chair (2015).  Moroso’s ongoing relationship with Spanish architect-designer Patricia Urquiola has generated a number of highly successful pieces, like the Fjord (2002), Bloomy (2004), Antibodi (2006), Tropicalia (2008), and Fishbone (2012) series. In recent years, Moroso has contributed to a global awareness of African design and craft through the M’Afrique project and collection launched in 2009 in collaboration with Urquiola, Dutch designer , and other design greats.

In addition to its domestic furniture and accessories output, over the years, the brand has expanded into the hospitality, education, healthcare, and corporate sectors. Drawing on the worlds of industrial design, contemporary art, and fashion, Moroso has also created temporary installations for Venice Biennale (2013), Art Basel Miami Beach (2010), and Palais de Tokyo (2006).