First designed in 1973 by Tobia Scarpa and his wife and design partner, Afra, the Monk armchair marked the beginning of a long-standing collaboration with Molteni&C. Celebrated for its refined construction and expressive use of materials, the chair has now been reissued as a special edition in collaboration with Cabana: the Molteni&C x Cabana Monk Armchair. Reinterpreting the Italian design through a decorative lens, Cabana introduces a new chapter in Molteni&C’s Heritage Collection – one that balances history with poetic detail.
The original Monk armchair was crafted with a leather seat and backrest stretched over a tubular steel frame and wooden legs – a thoughtful choice at a time when plastic furniture was increasingly prevalent. With Molteni&C’s manufacturing expertise, the result was a quietly composed design that expressed the values of craftsmanship and natural materials through its considered construction. The leather seat and backrest gently cradled the body, creating a comfortable and enduring seating experience.
The special edition Monk armchair preserves this heritage – solid American walnut, a tubular metal frame – while Cabana leaves its mark with a laser-engraved motif on the leather hide of the backrest. Inspired by Viennese cane weaving and the works of Jean Jeanneret, Marcel Breuer, and Thonet, the pattern reveals a vivid red panel beneath. The contrast introduces color and texture in a way that feels expressive yet respectful of the chair’s original modernist language.
The Molteni&C x Cabana Monk armchair demonstrates how a modernist classic can evolve through subtle, considered gestures while still honoring its origins. As Tobia Scarpa observed, “I’m intrigued by how some objects, when touched by a spark of imagination, never fail to awaken curiosity – and a sense of wonder.” In this special edition, Cabana supplies that spark, gently reawakening the Monk armchair through texture, craft, and color.
To learn more about the special edition Monk armchair by Molteni&C and Cabana, visit shop.molteni.it.
Photography courtesy of Molteni&C.