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The Orange Slice was launched at the Cologne furniture trade fair as the F437 in 1960. Pierre Paulin’s design was immediately a big success. Because demand for the F437 was so great, the Artifort salespeople did not have a showroom model available and they sold the fauteuils with the help of photographs. However, this certainly did not hinder its success.
The Orange Slice was to get its name at a later stage, thanks to its resemblance to the slices of an orange. So orange upholstery has always been a favourite and continues to be so to this day. Orange Slice has now been a permanent feature of the Artifort collection for a continuous period of 50 years – an almost unique performance. It has become an icon. Everyone has seen an Orange Slice at some time or has even sat in one, in a living room, hotel or waiting room. A group of Orange Slices is a delight for the eye. They look different from every angle – playful and light-hearted.
The design is still very important for Artifort and has not changed essentially in 50 years, although, of course, technological developments have meant that the production techniques have improved over the years. In the nineteen-eighties, a variant on the original Orange Slice was produced. Called the F437/B, this had a slightly tilted, more active sitting position and this too is still part of the collection. There is also an Orange Slice salon table. With its metal frame and round top, (Ø100cm), this is the ideal accompaniment to a group of Slices.
