Furniture design

A gesture of grace: outdoor seating with poetic simplicity

Rooted in the poetic geometry of early 20th-century French garden furniture, Diane pays homage to the fluid silhouettes of the Belle Époque while addressing the needs of contemporary contract and residential spaces.

Unveiled during Milan Design Week 2025, the Diane chair marks the first collaboration between French designer Ambroise Maggiar and the Italian furniture brand infiniti — and it does so with quiet confidence and timeless elegance. Entirely made of steel and defined by its interplay of full and empty volumes, Diane balances industrial clarity with subtle emotional resonance — a hallmark of Maggiar’s design language.

Available as a side chair or armchair, and stackable in both versions, Diane offers a generous, ergonomically designed seat that prioritizes comfort without compromising aesthetics. The magnetic cushion — optional yet discreet — further enhances the seating experience while preserving the chair’s graceful structure. Whether placed in cafés, terraces, public lounges, or indoor settings, the chair blends durability, visual rhythm, and sculptural purity into a single gesture.

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In this exclusive conversation, we speak with Ambroise Maggiar about the genesis of the Diane chair, the role of constraint in creativity, and how silhouettes, shadows, and subtle decisions shape a design meant to last.

How did your collaboration with infiniti begin, and what sparked the Diane project?

Ambroise Maggiar:

“It all started from a conversation. I was the one who reached out to infiniti, and during our first meeting with the company, I immediately sensed an openness to dialogue. He asked, “What do you want to do for us?” I replied, “I’m not sure,” and he said, “Then we’ll get along.” That moment defined the spirit of our collaboration — built on mutual curiosity and freedom.

From there, we explored references together. The idea was to revisit vintage French garden furniture — Belle Époque, Art Nouveau — and connect that language with industrial feasibility. The project combined aesthetic inspiration with a clear technical brief, including a strict production budget. We visited the factories, studied welding methods, and defined everything together — even the brief itself.”

Diane chair by Ambroise Maggiar for infiniti

What were the biggest challenges in developing the Diane chair?

Ambroise Maggiar:

“One of the key challenges was the seat’s ergonomics. The President of the company, with a very sharp eye, simply said, “The chair must be comfortable — which means it must have a metal sheet seat.” That ruled out the usual wire-only seats that require a cushion. This decision impacted not only comfort but also the aesthetics and technical development.

Another challenge was the industrial optimization. The rods had to be identical to simplify production — same thickness, same curve. We played with spacing, positioning, and integrated the rods under the seat to hide welds and save on finishing. Every decision had to balance elegance and cost-efficiency. We developed around 4–5 prototypes to get it right.”

Diane chair by Ambroise Maggiar for Infiniti _ outdoor seating
Diane chair by Ambroise Maggiar for infiniti

How did you reconcile your design language with infiniti’s style?

Ambroise Maggiar:

“There’s always a tension between adapting to a brand’s aesthetic and bringing something new. With infiniti, we had already agreed on references and materials, so it felt natural. What I admire about their products is the consistency of silhouette — not just styling, but structure. I focused on shadows, profiles, and the graphic identity of the chair.

For example, the Diane chair’s armrest was designed to look integral — not as an add-on. It’s a continuous shape that feels like it was either “cut out” or left in. That required a lot of technical effort, but it created a logic and purity in the final form. And when you see 10 or 20 Diane chairs in a row, the rhythm, the repetition, the lightness — that’s what really gives it character.”

Diane chair by Ambroise Maggiar for Infiniti

Why the name “Diane”? And what does it represent?

Ambroise Maggiar:

Diane came from a mix of references. Part of it relates to the Citroën 2CV, part to early 20th-century French aesthetics, and part to nature. To me, it feels floral, industrial, and poetic all at once. The name is easy to pronounce and has an international flair — graphic, elegant, memorable. It embodies the chair’s character: refined but not precious, graceful yet accessible.”

Is Diane part of a broader collection? What are your ambitions with infiniti?

Ambroise Maggiar:

“Yes — Diane is part of a full collection I designed: chair, armchair, high stool, and tables. It’s made for the contract world, where backrests, stackability, and comfort over long durations are essential. I knew bar stools with back support were important for hospitality, so I included them from the start.

infiniti’s in-house production capacity makes development faster and more precise. Our collaboration took 18 months from idea to launch — a great timeline for a first project. I’d love to keep working with them, but it always starts with a conversation. Maybe infiniti will show me a new material or machine — that’s often the spark.”

Diane chair by Ambroise Maggiar for Infiniti _ outdoor seating
Diane chair by Ambroise Maggiar for infiniti

What excites you most about being an industrial designer today?

Ambroise Maggiar:

“The ability to dive into something new every time. One day it’s a lamp, the next a kitchen appliance or a chair. I love understanding industries, technologies, limitations — and translating that into meaningful objects. I’m not an engineer, but over time you develop a sensitivity for processes and constraints.

Even within the same technique — like plastic molding or laser cutting — you find different challenges based on scale, context, and product. That’s what keeps me curious. I’ve even experimented with 3D printing, though it’s not quite fun yet — it’s still in the prototyping phase. But I’m always on the lookout for new materials and processes that can inspire the next story.”

About the author

Patrick Abbattista

Patrick Abbattista

A marketer in love with Design. Founder & CEO of DesignWanted. International speaker. Professor at Istituto Marangoni - Design School (Milan).

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