“The Stories Behind the Icons: From Sketch to Form” with Gubi, GamFratesi and Kvadrat. Installation table from inspiration beetle sketches to fabrics, at Cult. Image: Authentic Design Alliance
Last week, the exhibition “The Stories Behind the Icons: From Sketch to Form” opened at Cult, featuring Gubi, designs by Danish studios GamFratesi and Kvadrat.
Italian designer Enrico Fratesi and Gubi CEO Marie-Christine Schmidt joined the opening press breakfast. Enrico, who, with his wife Stine Gam, has worked with the brand for more than a decade. Their studio GamFratesi launched in Copenhagen in 2006.
Five chairs, from first sketch to finished form
The exhibition follows five chairs, Masculo (2008), Beetle (2013), Gent (2018), Sejour (2020) and the new Brim armchair (2026), alongside the references, drawings and models behind them. Visitors can also sketch their own chair and pin it to the mood board wall.
The tour revealed how the Beetle, a chair that defines Gubi, evolved from deep research as opposed to a set brief. It began with an insect that’s both delicate and strong, and its curved shell is just 10 millimetres thick. The result is a globally recognisable design icon, a chair recognied worldwide.
Enrico Fratesi presenting the studio’s work with Gubi during their decade-long relationship, including the new Brim armchair that launched this year. Image: Authentic Design Alliance
Why the process matters
The installation included a physical moodboard that revealed the work behind an original: the research, drawings, prototypes and testing. With sketches, models and maquettes, Kvadrat fabric samples and inspirational inputs, the moodboard showed the deep thinking and testing behind the Beetle chair.
Brim, now upholstered locally under licence
The latest addition to the series, Brim, is a plush armchair. Its wooden core shell uses engineered 3D veneer. The veneer is made from FSC®-certified and recycled or other controlled materials. The Beetle, Bat and Brim families share the same slender base.
In partnership with Gubi, Cult now upholsters Brim locally, with a wide range of fabrics, including pre-approved Kvadrat textiles. The lead times are shorter, at approximately 6 to 8 weeks, and offer designers more flexibility with fabric selection.
Materials and reissues on show
As part of the collaboration, Kvadrat’s Divina wool, first designed by Finn Södt in 1984 and relaunched in 2026 in 64 colours, features in the exhibition.
Within the exhibition is the Lotus Table Lamp by Carlo Nason. featuring four layers of mouth-blown glass, thousands of tiny air bubbles, and a silhouette inspired by a flower in bloom. Originally designed in 1969, Lotus gained a cult following among collectors despite only spending a few years in production. Now, five decades later, Gubi have reintroduced this masterpiece to new generations of design lovers.
Speaking of reissues, the curvaceous indoor/outdoor cane lounge series Bohemian 72 by Gabriella Crespi, was a series the Italian designer never saw in production. Marking the 50th milestone of the designs, Gubi introduced the collection for the first time in 2022.
Gubi worked with the archive of Murano glass maestro Carlo Nason to reissue the Lotus table lamp (1969). Artisans hand-craft each piece. As a result, every lamp keeps its own air bubbles and is unique. Images: Authentic Design Alliance
Visit The Stories Behind the Icons at Cult Sydney and Melbourne.
Gabriella Crespi designed the indoor/outdoor cane lounge series Bohemian in 1972, but it never entered production. Gubi introduced the collection in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of the design. Image: Authentic Design Alliance
FAQ
Who are GamFratesi?
A Copenhagen design studio founded in 2006 by the husband-and-wife duo, Danish architect Stine Gam and Italian architect Enrico Fratesi. They have designed for Gubi for more than a decade, including the Beetle and Brim chairs, and now live in Sweden.
What is the Brim Chair made from?
An upholstered shell with a wooden core of engineered 3D veneer, made from FSC®-certified and recycled or other controlled materials, on a slender tubular base.
Can Gubi chairs be upholstered in Australia?
Yes. Cult has an agreement to upholster Gubi chairs locally, with a wide range of fabrics, that offers much shorter lead times of approximately 6 to 8 weeks, and gives clients a wider range of fabrics to select from.
What is the difference between an original design, a reissue and a replica?
A designer, or their foundation, licenses an original design to a brand. A reissue is an earlier design no longer produced that is returned to production with the permission of its authorised designer or their representatives. A replica copies an original design without that authorisation, and steals royalty payments and income from the rightful owners of the design.
Where can I see or buy Gubi products in Australia?
At Cult, 21–23 Levey Street, Chippendale, Sydney.
