Rey Chair upholstered seat by Bruno Rey

This is the Rey chair with a seat upholstered in fabric. The rest remains unchanged: 44 cm wide, 49 cm deep, 80 cm high, molded beech veneer shell, solid beech base, water-based lacquer. The upholstery is limited to the seat surface: the backrest remains bare wood, which preserves the chair's silhouette and stackability. At a table where one sits for two hours, the difference is immediately noticeable; for an occasional chair, it is not justified, and that is why both versions coexist.

Eleven wood and fabric combinations are offered, each curated by HAY: the fabric is not customizable; it comes with the wood color. Eucalyptus green is available in two different fabrics, a Steelcut Trio 916 and a Relate 921. Each combination is available with standard glides or felt glides.

The screwless assembly, the 1971 innovation

What made the Rey chair a success is not visible at first glance: the legs are not screwed into the seat, but are held in molded aluminum brackets that form the connection. The wood therefore does not have any threading, which explains the longevity of this model in public spaces: a leg that comes loose does not tear the material and can be put back in place. HAY has maintained this principle by reviving the edition with Dietiker.