Places: Modernica Factory

photography — Tyler Thomas

The chair. We've all seen it on Pinterest, Instagram, and inside every one of our Pinterest/Instagram- obsessed friends' apartments. It may seem ubiquitous, but let me tell you, it's a classic that's here to stay. The Modernica Fiberglass Shell Chair just might be my new favorite piece of furniture.

A few weeks ago, Modernica invited Tyler and I to take a tour of their LA factory and warehouse where they hand-make each piece. We watched as the makers meticulously shaped, molded, and assembled everything from shell chairs to daybeds and shelving systems.

When I first moved to LA, I was so excited to have more space and even a studio that I bought two knockoff chairs online. These plastic fakes just aren't the same as the real thing (even Ollie agrees.) Yes, they look great in photos but they just don't feel the same when it comes to quality and details. 

 

 

The real deal is really worth the investment and supports a local business. One of the best parts about the fiberglass chairs is knowing how they were made: Back in 2000 Modernica acquired the original molds used to create these mid-century masterpieces. On the assembly line, the makers add and remove fiberglass sheets by hand to shape the chairs, simply by memory and skill of working with the material. With over 30 colors to choose from (of course I chose natural, aka barely any color) each chair is unique and one of a kind.