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Anna Moldenhauer: What was the idea behind designing the ‘Marie’ chair in 2023?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: We wanted to create a chair that was as cushiony as possible, with a backrest that resembled a pillow, thereby providing maximum seating comfort. We wanted to take the casual look of ‘Leya’ to a whole new level, so to speak.

How did you then go on to develop the family?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: ‘The request to develop a wooden frame version quickly came from the distribution department. In addition, dynamic sitting in the form of a swivel-return function is increasingly in demand, so we have developed both a version with a centre column and a wooden swivel frame for this purpose. There is now also a bar stool available. Most recently, the series has been expanded to include armchairs, which are available in a wide variety of designs: as low and high-back chairs with different frames and, following on from the success of the ‘Leya Swing Seat’, also as ceiling-mounted swings.

‘Marie’ is both casually elegant and, above all, very comfortable. How did you manage to balance the contrasts in both form and material?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: A striking design feature of the chair is the wide-opening armrests, which are both inviting and allow for relaxed sitting, as they do not restrict the user's sitting position. The elegance is further emphasised by the backrest bracket, which nestles gently yet precisely into the back cushion.

The upholstery retains its shape even after a long time. How did you achieve this?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: The chair has a very complex structure, especially in the back. An ergonomically shaped plywood shell, which provides support for the entire chair, is covered with a cushion made of synthetic down, which, unlike natural down, has a high resilience. This construction ensures lasting comfort without losing its shape.

There is a wide range of fabric and leather covers to choose from. To what extent can the collection be further customised?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: Further customisation is possible with the frames, which are available in steel and wood in a wide variety of colours and wood finishes.

Why are you inspired by soft, organic shapes in furniture design?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: On the one hand, soft shapes are inviting and radiate a feeling of comfort. On the other hand, as a designer, you feel a bit like a sculptor who creates a sculpture out of wood, steel and foam that is comfortable to sit on and that you also enjoy having around you as an object.

Why is your focus for product names at Freifrau on female names?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: This has to do with the feminine appeal of the furniture, which was the aim from the outset and which they wanted to emphasise by giving it a feminine name.

You have accompanied Freifrau since its foundation in 2011 as artistic directors. How has the company developed from your point of view?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: Freifrau has developed from a garage company, with an office in the basement and upholstery development in the attic, into a medium-sized company that now has its own large company building with a logistics and assembly centre and its own showroom. The product range has been continuously expanded. In addition to chairs, which represent the company's core competence, armchairs, sofas and outdoor furniture have been added. From our point of view, Freifrau has developed into a brand, to which we have certainly contributed by developing a Freifrau-specific visual language in our photo shoots and the exhibition stands we have designed.

Christoph and you both have a background in craftsmanship – how useful is that for your collaboration with Freifrau?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: Freifrau calls itself a manufactory, and indeed, the production process is very much characterised by craftsmanship. We accompany the development of our furniture from the very beginning and work closely with our suppliers. It is very helpful to have worked in a workshop yourself, as this gives you a better understanding of craft processes.

Freifrau is a family business and manufactures in East Westphalia. To what extent do you address sustainability in your joint work, apart from the long service life of the furniture? For example, are the individual parts easy to separate from each other?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: Of course, regional production contributes to the sustainability of the furniture because it avoids long transport routes. In principle, the individual parts of the chairs, such as the frames, are easily separable and can be easily replaced or sorted by type. Most of the covers are also replaceable, and Freifrau will reupholster the chairs if necessary, which extends their service life. However, the foam is often glued to the shells, which makes it difficult to separate. We wanted to address this problem with ‘Marie’ and spent a long time working on a solution for the backrest where the foam no longer needs to be glued, but is simply pulled over a wooden shell in the form of a down cushion.

Which piece of furniture is still missing from the ‘Marie’ family?

Hoffmann Kahleyss Design: Actually, the ‘Marie’ collection is already quite complete, but one of our greatest wishes would be to design another sofa for Freifrau. Perhaps one that would go well with Marie.