This de Sede 450 sofa with two simple flicks of the wrist which transform the DS-450 easily from sofa to double armchair or love-seat for relaxing together. It is designed by Thomas Althaus. Invitingly casual upholstery ending at the sides in fold-up armrests is decorated on the upper surface with handsewn leather edging that looks like genuine piping. This gives the model a precision of contour that contrasts so tellingly with the irresistible softness of the upholstery. This feature is continued in the design of the individual, adjustable back sections giving these, with their subtly sculpted headrests, the appearance of exquisite buoyant matting.
de Sede has been shaping the world of furnishing and creating premium-quality leather furniture for an international market since 1965. The original skilled craftsman’s workshop has grown to become a big company around the globe. A development that has only been possible thanks to the high standard of skilled craftsmanship that has been consistently maintained and the unmistakeable design of de Sede products.
de Sede, as a company, strives to create hand-crafted masterpieces to meet discriminating individual requirements for the world of today. They have a goal that people should enjoy the pleasure of their furniture for many years to come and be delighted to own such attractive items.
de Sede is continually re-interpreting its traditions in the art of furniture making and design. In doing this, they call both upon their own long experience and upon the partners with whom they collaborate closely and always with the future in mind.
One yardstick they have are their customers: the lifestyle they wish to have today, what they do in their homes, how they prefer to design and decorate their living environment. The other are their partners, the retail trade and their agents: what they need in order to attract and inspire customers.
Their product development and design section is of core importance and is engaged in a constant exchange of ideas with both internal and external sources of inspiration. A fifteen-strong team is dedicated to questions of innovation, new materials, new qualities of leather, new designers, a new understanding of furniture and the on-going improvement of their existing range.
In 1965, this family-run business became a joint-stock company thus giving birth to de Sede AG. The sophisticated designs of its leather furniture, all reflecting top-quality Swiss workmanship, swiftly gained the brand an international reputation. Additional manufacturing facilities were opened and the international distribution network developed still further.
With its sale in 1984 to the concrete manufacturing company of PCW, the company’s orientation was corrected and a new management put in place. Information technology and controlling were expanded and from 1988 production was again concentrated in one location in Klingnau. New, unmistakeable products were created.
The de Sede product range is constantly being extended with work by renowned designers and the collection is nowadays hallmarked by the concept of multifunctional seating. Every year, de Sede presents its new models at the international furniture shows in Cologne and Milan; and since 2006, Orgatec in Cologne has provided an ideal platform for developing the company’s contract business. To secure the future of the company, de Sede was sold in 2007 to the Zurich-based Capvis holding company.