Learn More About Sori Yanagi

Today we’re once again shifting our focus to the many designers of Asian descent that have contributed to modern design furniture, in this case the late Japanese product designer Sori Yanagi. Yanagi played a critical role in the development of Japanese modern design following World War II, becoming well-known for his practicality and simplicity.

Sori Yanagi was born in Tokyo in 1915. His father Soetsu was already known for being the founder of “migei”, a movement celebrating folk crafts of Japanese descent and the beauty of everyday objects. Sori Yanagi enrolled in Tokyo Art School in 1934 where he studied architecture and art. Originally interested in painting, Yanagi’s interests shifted towards buildings and objects after being heavily influenced by architects Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand.

Following World War II, Yanagi went on to design a number of products including furniture, Olympic cauldrons, and vehicles with three wheels. Of these products, arguably his most famous would end up being the Butterfly Stool which he debuted in 1956 for Swiss family-owned furniture company Vitra. The stool ended up receiving a tremendous amount of acclaim and has been featured as part of the collection at museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

This update is provided by CA Modern Home, offering an extensive selection of modern home furniture by many respected brands and designers like Sori Yanagi.  Call us at 1-800-605-1859 for any sales inquiries or more information on furniture by Eames, George Nelson, and the many other iconic designers.