Orma Armchair

Who designed Orma?

André Ricard, born in Barcelona in 1929, designed Orma in 2023 with Isist Atelier, after a collaboration that lasted seven years. The name comes from "horma", the Spanish word for a form or last: the chair takes its shape from the human body it is meant to hold.

How is Orma made?

The frame is 16 mm solid stainless steel rod, either polished or finished in black epoxy. A single cover of 3 mm vegetable-tanned leather, made by hand in Isist Atelier's Barcelona workshop, fits over the frame to form the seat, back, and armrests. A YKK® zip lets the cover come away from the frame completely, so it can be replaced without touching the frame.

What is vegetable-tanned leather?

Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned with natural tannins from tree bark and wood, such as chestnut, mimosa, or quebracho, rather than with the chromium salts used for most leather today. The process takes weeks rather than a day or two, and gives a dense, full-bodied leather with a warm, woody smell. It feels firm when new and softens as it is used. Isist Atelier uses 100% vegetable-tanned leather for the cover of Orma.

How will the leather change over time?

Vegetable-tanned leather darkens and takes on a patina with light, touch, and use. Natural leather changes the most, moving from a pale tan towards a deeper honey colour; darker leathers change more subtly. On Orma, the armrests and the front edge of the seat will darken first. Small marks, creases, and variations in tone come from the hide itself and are not defects, and no two pieces age in quite the same way.

How do you care for vegetable-tanned leather?

Dust it with a soft, dry cloth. If it gets wet, blot it straight away and let it dry naturally, away from radiators and other direct heat. Every few months, or whenever it looks dry, apply a little colourless balm or cream made for vegetable-tanned leather, testing it first on a hidden spot. Avoid solvents and household cleaners. Leather is not waterproof, so keep the chair out of the rain, and out of strong direct sun if you want natural leather to darken evenly.