A chair that embodies the utilitarian heritage of denim and the adaptability of camping gear will make you reimagine what furniture can do. This is what the Roll-Up Chair aims to achieve with its uniqueness. Designed to disassemble, roll up, and hang on a wall like a piece of fabric art, the chair is created by Caroline Chao in collaboration with G-Star as a solution to the dearth of space in New York apartments.
Caroline Chao draws inspiration for the Roll-Up Chair from camp furniture, which is easy to fold, lightweight, and straightforward to carry. The padded denim rolls used in upholstery are inspired by sleeping bags used at camps. The camp furniture and mats are akin to military gear, the designer notes, which can be assembled and taken apart with ease. This convenience now forms the basis of furniture that can be a viable solution to storage and space crunch.
The Roll-Up chair features a steel tube frame, which the designer says is made by combining industrial materials like conduits, construction fasteners, and prefabricated railing parts. The padded rolls that form the cushion for the seat and headrest are made from raw denim. Vintage snap buttons are used to keep the fabric in place when you are using it for seating. And when you’re done, you can roll up the demim, fold up the frame, and hang both on the wall as pieces of art. The used G-Star denim looks impressive, draping down on the wall.
Of course, the Roll-Up is a conceptual piece, but the designer has taken into account the ergonomic requirements and comfort a chair should provide. She does acknowledge, however, that it isn’t ideal for sitting over long periods. Instead, it serves as a convenient option to set out when you have guests and easily roll up and store once they’ve left.
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G-Star is a world-renowned brand that started the Art of Raw program, collaborating with young artists and designers to create objects from denim waste, showcasing the material’s versatility. Caroline’s concept of the Roll-Up Chair centers on transformation; blurring the line between function and fashion, turning a practical furniture into something that feels almost like a piece of clothing.
