Modern Dutch design owes a great deal to Gerard van den Berg. While the Netherlands has a rich furniture-making tradition, it took a maverick like Van den Berg to bring it into a new era.
Van den Berg was born in 1947 to a family of designers. His father owned a furniture company in Hellevoetsluis where Van den Berg worked as an apprentice and then designer until he and his brother, Ton, founded their own workshop, in 1974. That company, named Montis, produced mostly upholstered seating for homes and businesses.
At Montis, Van den Berg challenged traditional Dutch furniture forms. Rather than starting with the piece's frame, which he felt was restrictive, he focused on the silhouette. This inspired Van den Berg to create slim and elegant furniture, often featuring angular metal legs and leather upholstery. In 1983, he pioneered the "jacket technique," consisting of a zipped leather cover around a metal frame. Several iconic Montis seats use this technique, including the Chaplin chair, the Butterfly lounge chair and the Rocky sofa.
In 1989, Van den Berg launched his own design studio and began designing for companies like Wittmann, Molteni and Perobell. He left Montis in 1990 to cofound a new company, called Label, with Ton the following year. Today, Van den Berg's son Jasper and Ton's daughter, Marieke, manage Label. Van den Berg's other son, Ivo, is also a designer at the company.
Van den Berg's irreplaceable contributions to furniture design have garnered multiple awards over the years. Some of the most notable include the Kho Liang Prize, the Mobilia Innovation Award and the Prize for Interior Architecture.
Find vintage Montis seating on 1stDibs.
Customizable Montis Swivel Luna Armchair by FORMSTELLE
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
The reversible detail of the armrest envelops the Luna like a perfectly fitted garment. Sophisticated stitching and pleating accentuate its inviting volume. Its material properties a...
Aluminum
Customizable Montis Vico Armchair by GEERT KOSTER
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Price listed for starting fabric. Vico is the cousin of our easy chair Enzo. Geert Koster designed a compact dining chair that complements any interior. With its streamlined shape a...
Upholstery
Customizable Freifrau Amelie Armchair by Hoffmann Kahleyss
Located in New York, NY
Clear Lines, Unrivalled Comfort Amelie represents understated, perfect design and yet is impressively variable. The seat shell is fully upholstered in valuable fabrics or elegant lea...
Upholstery
Customizable Freifrau Stella Armchair by Patrick Frey
Located in New York, NY
Price listed for starting fabric and walnut 1Clear and dynamic Straight-lined design, reduced to the essentials - a solid wood chair that offers more comfort than you think. With St...
Upholstery, Wood
Customizable Zanotta Arom Chair by Noé Duchaufour Lawrance
By Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Price listed for starting fabric and exterior in cowhide. extra charge for exterior cover in leather. Armchair. Steel frame. Upholstery with self-extinguishing polyurethane foam/heat-bound polyester fibre with elastic strips suspension. Fixed internal nylon cover. Removable external fabric, Pied de poule or leather cover.The exterior body can be covered with cowhide 95, combined with fabric or leather. Cannot be covered with cowhide 95 in the shade white 0704. Arom is the latest armchair...
Leather, Fabric
Customizable Freifrau Marie Armchair by Hoffmann Kahleyss Design
Located in New York, NY
he latest model by Hoffmann Kahleyss Design for Freifrau Manufaktur is more than just a chair: it‘s a statement! When you sit down on the Marie chair, you’ve arrived – arrived in the...
Upholstery
Montis Back Me Up Armchair in Stock
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Upholstered shell/ back: Miller 30 Upholstered Seat : S10 Kvadrat Maple 112 Legs: black Pull up a chair and let yourself be embraced by luxury. The comfort of the Back Me Up armc...
Fabric
Linus Armchair by MarCo Dessí
Located in Geneve, CH
Linus armchair by MarCo Dessí Materials: Upholstery: Fabric Structure: Metal: Black powder-coated metal, black chrome metal Also available in Wood: Noce Canaletto solid wood, cor...
Metal
Linus Armchair by MarCo Dessí
Located in Geneve, CH
Linus armchair by MarCo Dessí. Materials: upholstery: fabric Structure: wood: Noce Canaletto solid wood, coral/dark green/black stained wood Also available metal: Black powder-co...
Upholstery, Wood
Linus Armchair by Marco Dessí
Located in Geneve, CH
Linus armchair by Marco Dessí Materials: Upholstery: Fabric (also available in leather) Structure: Wood: Noce Canaletto solid wood, Coral/Dark green/Black stained wood Also avail...
Upholstery, Wood
Linus Armchair by MarCo Dessí
Located in Geneve, CH
Linus armchair by MarCo Dessí Materials: Upholstery: Fabric (also available in leather please contact us) Structure: Wood: Noce Canaletto solid wood, Coral/Dark green/Black stained...
Upholstery, Wood
Ichou Armchair By André Fu Living
By André Fu
Located in Admiralty, HK
immerse in the comfort of our signature ichou armchair, designed to convey the silhouette of a japanese ginko leaf. upholstered in fine fabrics and crafted in solid ash wood, it is t...
Fabric, Leather, Ash
