Xavier Pauchard

Born in Burgundy, France in 1880, Xavier Pauchard is the son and grandson of zinc roofers. He founded a factory producing household items that integrated a major innovation: the use of hot-dip galvanizing. This technique protects iron items from oxidation by dipping them in a bath of molten zinc.

Passionate about metal, he took years to perfect his mastery of iron and steel, until he could make it into any shape he desired. A visionary, he designed pieces of standard furniture to be practical, modular and marketable. In 1908, he registered a trademark for his metal furniture company and Tolix was born.

In 1927, he created the iconic A Chair, followed by other pieces such as Chair T37, the KUB table and many more. Xavier's sons followed him into the business and designed other pieces such as Table 55 and Armchair A56. Xavier's influence is still felt today. The A Chair is part of the collections of the MoMA in New York, the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Vitra design collection in Weil am Rhein in Germany.