BIG Chair Project for Jamie Oliver at Republic of Fritz Hansen

Emilia Kalyvides | 21 August 2012 2 comments

Designers and artists including Paul Smith, Quentin Blake, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and Tracey Emin have customised classic Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen, which will be auctioned in order to raise money for Jamie Oliver's Better Food Foundation.

BIG Chair Project for the Jamie Oliver Foundation

Top: The Burberry Stud by Christopher Bailey, Burberry chief creative officer
Above: Luvly Grub by Paul Smith

Christopher Bailey of fashion house Burberry covered one in studs, Paul Smith printed one side with sugary treats and the other with vegetables, Julian McDonald stuck plastic cutlery all over another and Quentin Blake donated drawings of a soup dragon and people eating in flight.

Above: Truly Scrumptious by Julien McDonald

BIG Chair Project aims to raise money for the celebrity chef's Fifteen apprentice program, celebrating its ten year anniversary, which takes disenfranchised young people and trains them as chefs.

Above: Dragon's in the Kitchen by Quentin Blake

The chairs are on show at the Republic of Fritz Hansen showroom at 13 Margaret Street, London W1W 8RN until the final event in October, when Emin's design will be revealed.

Above: Food in Flight by Quentin Blake

They'll be sold in a mixture of live and online auctions.

Above: World of Interiors by Jonathan Yeo

Photos are by David Parry/PA.

Above: The Romanesco Chair by Nunzio Citro the Colourkid

Here's some more information from the Jamie Oliver Foundation:

Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen celebrates 10 Years with The BIG Chair Project

Artists and designers including Tracey Emin, Paul Smith and Sarah Burton collaborate to mark milestone with the decoration of iconic Fritz Hansen chairs

Above: The Romanesco Chair by Nunzio Citro the Colourkid

To mark the 10th anniversary of Fifteen restaurant, the social enterprise set up to mentor disenfranchised young people and train them to become chefs, Jamie Oliver’s charity, the Better Food Foundation, has launched The BIG Chair Project - an exciting collaboration with some of the top names in fashion, art and design.

Above: The Octochair by David Loftus and Jamie Oliver

Furniture brand Republic of Fritz Hansen – a long-standing supporter of Fifteen - has donated twenty iconic ANT chairs for the artists to impose a personal, food-inspired design upon. Each of these unique designs will be auctioned to raise money for the Better Food Foundation, which receives all profits from Fifteen to empower young people by training them for careers in the restaurant industry.

Above: The Hipstamatic Chair by David Loftus & Jamie Oliver

The array of artists working with the ANT chairs, which itself celebrates a 60th anniversary this year, includes Tracey Emin, Paul Smith, Christopher Bailey, Cath Kidston and Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton.

Above: Superseat by Superdry

Jamie Oliver is also getting involved himself, customising a classic EGG chair and footstool, which Fritz Hansen have also kindly donated. Jamie will also design an ANT chair in collaboration with renowned photographer David Loftus.

Above: Rise and Shine by Cath Kidston

There are lots of ways for the public to support the initiative. Some of the chairs will be available to win as part of a lottery. People simply need to buy a ticket at www.thebigchairproject.org to support the initiative and be in with a chance of winning a unique chair from one of the designers.

Above: Production Line by Ricardo Cinalli

The remaining chairs will be auctioned online to give fans across the world the chance to get their hands on something truly unique.

Above: Pink Drizzle by INSA

The auction will close at an event in October, after a mix of online and live bidding as the great and good gather for this climactic fundraiser. The centrepiece of the auction will be a Tracey Emin ANT chair, which will be unveiled at the event as an ‘on the night’ exclusive item.

Above: Paradise by Matthew Williamson

A full list of artists and designers involved in The BIG Chair Project:

Barnaby Purdy
Cath Kidston
Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer, Burberry
David Loftus
Emma Tissier
INSA
Jamie Oliver
Jay Jay Burridge
Jonathan Yeo
Julian McDonald
Liberty
Matthew Williamson
Nunzio Citro (former Fifteen apprentice)
Paul Smith
Quentin Blake
Ricardo Cinalli
Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Superdry
Jo Sampson Collection for Waterford Crystal
Tracey Emin

Above: Lumberjack by Superdry

Commenting on The BIG Chair Project, Jamie Oliver said, “It’s incredibly exciting to think that Fifteen restaurant and the Foundation have been helping to inspire, educate and empower young people for 10 years now. I'm truly humbled to have such a brilliantly talented group of people from the fashion and art worlds to help on this fantastic project to raise money and help us mark the occasion. If you'd like to help us celebrate too, check out the Foundation website for more info.”

Above: Illumin by Jo Sampson for Waterford

Commenting on his chair, Paul Smith said: “I’ve been a bit naughty, because on the front side of the chair it is full of cakes and all those delicious things that are bad for you! Then on the back of the chair it’s full of healthy stuff – lots of fruit, vegetables and lettuce! – it’s both sides of the coin really, the bad side and the good side. It’s not really the chair, it’s not really the fact its Paul Smith, it’s the fact that it’s for a good cause so if you can support us with a generous bid that would be brilliant!”