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Bruno Rey’s Legacy Lives on in the Colorful Rey Collection

04.08.22 | By
Bruno Rey’s Legacy Lives on in the Colorful Rey Collection

Bruno Ray, an incredibly successful Swiss industrial designer until his death in 2019, designed with a deep love of organic forms. It went against the more formal style of his time, but he continued on, bringing together curved, natural shapes and innovative production methods. The Rey Collection, brought to life by HAY and Dietiker, expands upon one of the designer’s best-known furniture pieces: the Rey Chair.

The rest of the collection includes a bar stool, stool, coffee table, and dining table, but it’s the chair that’s already a classic. Produced by Dietiker since 1971, it now joins the HAY catalog.

a rainbow of enamel chairs stacked balanced on one another

“When I first saw this chair, I saw that it had the quality of originality. I think that’s a foundational element of what makes good design. That, with the addition of the innovation, functionality, and aesthetic, is what makes it great design,” noted Rolf Hay. “To me, the Rey Chair is very honest. It has a few simple components, but is put together in an innovative way that makes it very robust. It also has generous proportions, so it’s both comfortable to sit on and beautiful to look at.”

a rainbow of enamel chairs lined up next to each other in a row

While using Rey’s original design, new, advanced production touches have been added to the chair. For example, a slightly adjusted seat height that reflects more modern requirements. Have a look at the underside of the Rey Chair and you’ll see an innovative screw-less wood to metal connection made using a die cast aluminum console. It’s this that gives the chair its strength and long-lasting construction and style.

The other pieces of the Rey Collection fall into line with the chair’s design, creating a vibrant little family. HAY has added their own set of colors and finishes to the designs that complement the iconic pieces with a modern touch.

a rainbow of enamel chairs scattered around an interior space

a rainbow of enamel chairs lined up next to each other in a row

light grey enamel and beech wood chairs stacked balanced on one another

red chair in front of white wall

different colors of enamel chairs in a white space

seafoam colored enamel chair at a cafe table

three colorful stools stacked in a pyramid in front of a yellow wall

four colorful stool stacked on top of one another

round dining table surrounded by three colorful enamel chairs and one stool

round dining table with four enamel chairs

white table with four seafoam colored enamel chairs

wood round dining table and four wood chairs

light grey round coffee table in space with brown leather couch

two round coffee tables in front of a light grey couch with two throw pillows

four round coffee tables

The Rey Collection will be available in North America on May 11th via hay.com, HAY store, or HAY retailers.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.