Digamma Ottoman

Design: Ignazio Gardella, 1957 for Santa & Cole.

Digamma is a comfortable chaise longue with a metal frame and a rationalist body that blends function with ornament. Shaped from two geometric volumes, it comes in a range of textile options. Its reclining backrest, adjustable in three positions, is visibly articulated on each side—almost ostentatiously—making its purpose unmistakable. A matching footrest completes the set. And its now-iconic golden duck feet add a touch of irony, boldly challenging any excess of sobriety.

When Gardella sought to move away from the rigid doctrines of the Modern Movement in which he had been trained, he conceived this chaise longue as a quiet yet firm statement of independence. Digamma playfully subverts functionalist austerity with unexpected gestures: generous volumes, exposed mechanisms, and golden birdlike feet that disrupt the structural neutrality. With this piece, Gardella championed a freer approach to design—one where comfort, humor, and decorative hints could coexist with the logic of modernism without betraying it.

Features

• Armchair and ottoman upholstered and sewn by hand.
• Black metallic legs and polished brass feet.
• Seat, back and arms upholstered with customer’s choice of fabric and Gabriel's fabric from its samplers.
• 3-position reclining back.
• Plain fabric measures: 3 m / 3.28 yd long by 1,40 m / 1.53 yd wide.