In 1950, Danish designers Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel created a wicker chair that went on to win awards, inspired a rediscovery and exploration of the material, and subsequently elevated the prestige of wicker furniture in Danish interior design. The Basket chair features a bowl-shaped woven seat cradled by an oak frame. Its rounded form allows for a variety of seating positions while its material exudes domestic warmth and comfort.

Spanish brand Kettal successfully reissued Basket in 2014, and the collection remains one of the brand’s best sellers, proving the evergreen quality of the Ditzels’ design.  And it has recently provided inspiration for one of today’s most prominent designers and Kettal’s long-time collaborator, Patricia Urquiola.

‘Nostalgia’ was one of the themes that emerged in the Salone del Mobile 2018. And Patricia Urquiola’s Vimini collection for Kettal was one of the standouts – not just for the appeal of its form, but for the way a reference to the past has been given a contemporary character.

A family of wicker furniture comprising a dining armchair, sofas and side tables, Vimini is the spiritual child of the Ditzels’ Basket collection. The collection is named after the Italian word for ‘wicker’, which also rhymes with ‘Bimini’, an island in the Bahamas and one of Urquiola’s favourite travel destinations.

The Vimini armchair and sofas feature solid wood frames and rounded wicker seats with generous cushioning. “I fancied something really traditional, something a bit modernist, relaxed in the way we treated the fibre,” says Urquiola of the chair. Described as “an object of memory”, Vimini serves up an irresistible blend of retro and contemporary. The collection pairs a classic wicker weaving pattern and pale wood with a very fresh, very current colour palette – think mint green and terracotta.

From some angles, Vimini sports that distinct mid-century aesthetic. From others, the collection reveals its contemporary appeal. And as its cushioned wicker seat cradles your body, it will tell you to feel at home.

In Hong Kong, Kettal is available from Colourliving.