The Gelée chair started with a pipe cleaner. Caracole designer Cathy Chang was playing with one when a swooping, looping shape emerged that she couldn’t quite let go of. Several versions and 18 months of development later, that gesture became the Gelée: wide tubes of high-gloss resin intertwining in a retro, slinky-like form, arms and legs and backrest all flowing from the same continuous movement.
“In many ways, the chair itself feels like a sculptural piece of dessert,” Cathy says. “The name Gelée is inspired by its glossy, dessert-like finish, specifically pastries and gelatin desserts.”
The Gelée was designed to live in a highly visible area of the home, the kind of piece that stops people in their tracks. Photo courtesy of Caracole
The North Carolina-based brand, founded in 2009 as a contemporary offshoot of Schnadig, whose roots in the furniture industry date back to the 19th century, built its identity around delivering a “wow” moment, softening high-end design with a sense of playfulness. Rather than designing coordinated collections, Caracole creates individual pieces meant to stand on their own, each one conceived to spark a reaction.
“The combination of finish and form of this piece is unprecedented,” she says. “Rarely is an original chair archetype developed. It is a true statement piece, artful in form and designed to bring something unexpected and different to today’s interiors.”
The frame is built entirely by hand, with an intensive polishing process required to achieve the high-gloss sheen. The seat is upholstered in a proprietary angora-like velvet, tailored by hand to sit cleanly against the sculptural frame. The contrast between the hard, lacquered resin and the soft velvet seat is part of what gives the piece its tension. Because Caracole is vertically integrated, that entire process, from initial design through sampling, revision, and production, happens within the same family of partners, giving the team direct control over how each detail lands.
Named after gelatin desserts and pastries, the Gelée is as much sculpture as it is seating. Photo courtesy of Caracole
“Many people may not realize the original concept came from something as simple as a pipe cleaner,” she says. “It is a reminder that inspiration can come from the most unexpected everyday moments. The flowing Gelée shape can be seen everywhere, from electrical cords to organic movements and curves found in daily life.” The Gelée is designed to be placed somewhere it will be noticed.
“It is meant to be an expressive focal piece placed in a highly visible area of the home,” Cathy says. “Designed to immediately capture attention, the kind of piece that makes someone walk in and say ‘wow.’ Depending on the color selected, each piece can almost feel like its own flavor or personality.”
