Dezeen Showroom: Raffaella Mangiarotti has drawn on the aesthetics and ergonomics of a horse-riding saddle to create the Pepe stool for Italian brand Opinion Ciatti.
Pepe offers a playful take on a saddle stool – a category of backless seating that promotes good posture and strengthens core muscles by tilting the pelvis forward.
While most saddle chairs resemble bike seats, Mangiarotti has incorporated Wild West references into the design through the hand-stitched leather upholstery, which is stretched over a curved sled base.
"Pepe is boundless expanses and infinite horizons," said Opinion Ciatti. "Pepe is the Argentine Pampas, a scent carried by the wind, an airy sky."
The piece can be used in conjunction with a desk or on its own, with a sculptural silhouette suited to both homes and workplaces.
Pepe is available in either black or natural leather, tanned using aniline dyes so it retains its distinctive tactility.
Product: Pepe
Designer: Raffaella Mangiarotti
Brand: Opinion Ciatti
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