Faye Toogood’s name is practically synonymous with her Roly Poly chair. With its chubby legs and bowl-like seat, the now-iconic piece epitomized the trend toward chunky forms that defined avant-garde furniture design in the 2010s. But the visionary British artist’s contributions go far beyond the chair and its similarly robust companion pieces, in disciplines ranging from textiles and ceramics to fashion and home interiors.
“I design holistically, with an overall vision across fashion, furniture and interiors,” she tells 1stDibs. “Furniture is something I return to over and over again and is a very strong part of this vision. I am interested in humans and the way they live — the spaces they inhabit, the clothes they wear, the objects they surround themselves with.”
After a childhood spent running free in the English countryside with nature as her playground, Toogood studied art history at Bristol University rather than attend art school. Her design approach is underpinned by contrast and understandably informed by art history, particularly the mid-20th-century modernism of such British artists as Barbara Hepworth and Alfred Wallis. “For me, it is about playing around with references and our associations, be that with materials or the precious and the raw, the masculine and the feminine,” she explains. “I’m able to use those contrasts to create friction.”
Toogood has exhibited at Phillips and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Triennale in Milan and D Museum in Seoul. In addition, her works are in the permanent collections of institutions worldwide, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Dallas Museum of Art; Denver Art Museum; High Museum of Art, in Atlanta; Corning Museum of Glass, in New York; the National Gallery of Victoria, in Melbourne; and the Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg.
Shop furniture designs from Faye Toogood today on 1stDibs.
$954 / item
H 24.8 in W 22.4 in D 24.8 in
Roly Poly Polyethelene Armchair in Brick Red by Faye Toogood for Driade
By Driade, Faye Toogood
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The distinctive, reassuringly chunky lines of Faye Toogood’s Roly-Poly furniture collection become even more inviting in her new collaboration with Driade. The latest line for the It...
Plastic
Roly Poly Armchair in Peat by Faye Toogood for Driade
By Faye Toogood, Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The distinctive, reassuringly chunky lines of Faye Toogood’s Roly-Poly furniture collection become even more inviting in her new collaboration with Driade. The latest line for the It...
Plastic
$954 / item
H 24.8 in W 22.4 in D 33 in
Roly Poly Polyethylene Armchair in Flesh by Faye Toogood for Driade
By Driade, Faye Toogood
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The distinctive, reassuringly chunky lines of Faye Toogood’s Roly-Poly furniture collection become even more inviting in her new collaboration with Driade. The latest line for the It...
Plastic
$12,405 / item
H 24.02 in W 26.78 in D 23.23 in
Faye Toogood Contemporary Design Roly-Poly Chair in Charcoal Fibreglass, London
By Faye Toogood
Located in Barcelona, ES
Roly-Poly Chair Raw Manufactured by Faye Toogood London, 2018 Fiberglass Measurements 85cm wide x 59cm deep x 61cm height 33,46 in wide x 23,22in deep x 25,40in height Colors – Cr...
Fiberglass
Roly Poly Chair by Toogood
By Faye Toogood
Located in Antwerpen, BE
The Roly-Poly Chair, designed by TOOGOOD as part of Assemblage 4 in 2014, has gained worldwide recognition for its iconic design. Crafted from raw charcoal-colored fiberglass, the ch...
Fiberglass
$1,719 / item
H 24.8 in W 22.4 in D 33 in
Roly Poly Polyethylene Armchair in Red Brick with Cushions by Faye Toogood
By Faye Toogood, Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The distinctive, reassuringly chunky lines of Faye Toogood’s Roly-Poly furniture collection become even more inviting in her new collaboration with Driade. The latest line for the It...
Fabric, Plastic
Faye Toogood, Roly Poly Chair, UK, 2018
By Faye Toogood
Located in Barcelona, ES
Roly-poly chair raw London, 2018 Fiberglass. Measurements: 85cm W x 59cm D x 61 H cm 33.46 in W x 23,22in D x 25.40 H in Concept Her furniture ...
Fiberglass
Roly Poly Armchair in Ochre by Faye Toogood for Driade
By Driade, Faye Toogood
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The distinctive, reassuringly chunky lines of Faye Toogood’s Roly-Poly furniture collection become even more inviting in her new collaboration with Driade. The latest line for the It...
Plastic
$8,861
H 15.56 in W 50.99 in D 27.56 in
Faye Toogood Roly-Poly Contemporary Dining Chair Raw, Fiberglass, London, 2018
By Faye Toogood
Located in Barcelona, ES
Faye Toogood Roly-Poly dining chair raw Manufactured by Faye Toogood London, 2018 Fiberglass Measurements 68cm wide x 50cm deep x 75cm hight 26.77in wide x 19.68in deep x 29...
Fiberglass
Big-E, Armchair by Ron Arad for Moroso, Italy, 1990s
By Ron Arad
Located in Greding, DE
Large red armchair out of plastic. Signed on the back “Big-E by Ron Arad for MOROSO”.
Plastic
The British creative talent has turned a series of maquettes into covetable, life-size pieces that retain the delightfully handcrafted quality of the originals.
Get a sneak peak at some of the singular pieces that will be on display at this year's show, which range from vintage masterpieces by legendary makers to innovative creations from emerging talents.
